NIHR Work and Health Outline Application Guidance for Applicants

Section 1: Application Summary Information 

Host Organisation 

Provide details of the organisation that will be the contractor if the programme is funded. If your organisation is not listed, please email workandhealth@nihr.ac.uk 

Research Title 

The title should state clearly and concisely the proposed project or research. Any abbreviations should be spelled out in full. 

Research Type 

Select the appropriate research type. If your proposal includes any element of primary research, please select ‘Primary Research’. If you are carrying out a new analysis of existing data, select ‘Secondary Research’. If you are not sure which category to select, choose the closest match to your proposal as this can be adjusted later. 

Proposed Start Date 

Please enter 01 September 2025 for Work and Health Development Awards. 

Please enter 01 April 2026 for Work and Health Research Awards. 

Research Duration (months) 

Please refer to the  relevant  NIHR Work and Health research specification. 

End Date 

This field will automatically populate once you have entered the start date and research duration information. 

Estimated Research Costs 

Enter the total amount of research costs requested (not including NHS Support & Treatment costs).

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants should no longer include open access costs as part of their outline application estimated Research Costs. 

From the 1st of June 2022 all eligible awards contracts issued across NIHR Programmes, NIHR Personal Awards and NIHR Global Health Research Portfolio will have an Open Access Envelope allocated to them on top of the award value, which is ring-fenced for open access costs of peer reviewed research articles that arise directly from the research funded by the award in question. 

Further information can be found by reading the Open Access Funding Guidance. 

Estimated NHS Support & Treatment costs or external (not NHS) intervention costs 

If applicable, please enter the total amount of NHS support and treatment costs anticipated for this proposal. 

Conflict checks 

Please declare any conflicts or potential conflicts of interest that you or your co-applicants may have in undertaking this research, including any relevant, non-personal & commercial interest that could be perceived as a conflict of interest. 

Agreement to terms and conditions 

As lead applicant, please tick the box to confirm that the information entered into the application form is correct and that you take responsibility for overall management and delivery of the research.

Section 2: Lead Applicant Details 

Complete your name, contact details and other requested information. 

Section 3: The Research Team

Specify your (lead applicant) role in this research 

Explain in addition to your role as Lead Applicant, the role that you will be undertaking in the research, e.g. coordination and project management, analysis, methodological input etc. 

NOTE: The Lead Applicant can be employed either on a permanent or temporary basis. If employed on a temporary basis, the employment contract needs to exceed the duration of the proposed project by the start of the award.

%FTE Commitment 

This refers to the percentage of your time that you will commit to this project. If you are funded as part of other NIHR projects that will be running concurrently, your time must not exceed 100% overall. 

Joint Lead Applicant and %FTE commitment 

Where appropriate and justified it is acceptable for the application to be led by joint Lead Applicants. Where this applies, please complete your name, contact details and other requested information. The %FTE commitment refers to the percentage of your time that you will commit to this project.

Justification for Joint Lead Applicant and role in this research 

Where appropriate and justified, it is acceptable for the application to be led by Joint Lead Applicants. Where this applies, please complete your name, contact details and other requested information.

NOTE: For application/contracting purposes, the joint lead applicant will be counted as a co-applicant. Early career researchers leading applications for the Work and Health Research Development Awards are encouraged to apply as Lead Applicant, with a more senior colleague fulfilling the role of mentor and Joint Lead Applicant.

Co-Applicant role and %FTE commitment 

A maximum of 15 co-applicants is permitted (which includes the joint lead applicant if listed). 

Add details of all co-applicants and their specific role in the project. Do not include collaborators, who should be mentioned (if appropriate) in the Research Plan section of the form. 

We encourage the inclusion of public co-applicants, where appropriate. Please include a clear description of their role and the reasons why a public co-applicant is joining the team. For further information please access the 'Public Co-Applicants in Research' guidance. 

Co-applicants are those individuals with responsibility for the day to day management and delivery of the project activities and can include public and service users. Co-applicants, including public co-applicants, are considered part of the project team and are expected to share responsibility for its successful delivery. In contrast, collaborators normally provide specific expertise on particular aspects of the project activities but do not share in the responsibility for the delivery of the proposal. 

PPIE Lead 

There should be a named person with appropriate skills and experience who is responsible for leading the Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement activities within the project. This role should be an adequately costed and resourced research team member who is able to manage the PPIE plans and related activities. More information and examples of the activities a PPIE lead might undertake can be found in our guidance on the NIHR website.

Section 4: Plain English summary of research (450 words)

A plain English summary is a clear explanation of your award. 

Many reviewers use this summary to inform their review of your funding application. They include policy makers, practitioners, analysts and researchers as well as members of the public. If your application for funding is successful, the summary will be used on the NIHR website and other websites. 

A good quality plain English summary providing an easy to read overview of your whole proposal will help: 

1. those carrying out the review (reviewers and board and committee members) to have a better understanding of your proposal 

2. inform others about your proposal such as members of the public, health and social care professionals, policy makers and the media 

3. the research funders to publicise the proposal that they fund. 

If it is felt that your plain English summary is not clear and of a good quality then you may be required to amend it prior to final funding approval. 

It is helpful to involve patients / carers / service users / practitioners and members of the public in developing a plain English summary. 

Content 

When writing your summary consider including the following information where appropriate: 

1. aim(s) of the research
2. background to the research
3. design and methods used
4. patient and public involvement
5. dissemination

The plain English summary is not the same as a scientific abstract - please do not cut and paste this or other sections of your application form to create the plain English summary. 

Further guidance on writing in plain English is available online at NIHR Plain English summaries. 

For further support and advice on writing a plain English summary, please contact your local Research Support Service (where applicable).

Section 5: Research plan (Word Limit: 3000 words)

Using all of the headings in the order presented below, please use this section to clearly explain your proposed research. Schematics, tables, illustrations, graphs, and other types of graphics can be embedded to clarify the research plan but they should not clutter the central narrative. While images do not count towards the overall word count, inclusion to overcome word limits is not permitted. Images may only be included within this section. They will be removed from other sections and not seen by reviewers and the Committee.

As this is the main part of your application which will be considered by the reviewing committee, you should ensure that the information is accurate, succinct, clearly laid out and provides sufficient methodological detail.  

What is the problem being addressed?

Provide a clear explanation of the problem to be addressed, its scale and the limitations in current practice.

Why is this research important and how does your proposed approach address the requirements outlined in the research specification?

Explain how your proposal addresses the requirements outlined in the research specification. It is essential that you demonstrate awareness of, and address recognised priorities, clearly identifying the needs of the work and health community your research meets or contributes to. Please outline the anticipated value or contribution the study will provide and the likely trajectory towards benefit realisation?

Review of existing evidence - How does the existing literature support this proposal?

Explain why this research is needed now, both in terms of time and relevance. Briefly describe:

• The need for the proposed line of research in the context of the research specification, drawing particularly from systematic reviews and other relevant literature
• Past and current research that justifies the proposed research and shows that it will add distinct value to what is already known, or in progress
• Work undertaken previously by the research team which has led to the proposal

In particular, applicants should be aware of ongoing research in this area and comment on any other research which might be deemed to overlap with the contents of the proposal. Any applications that include primary research should include reference to the existing evidence and explain how this evidence has informed the proposed research. Where a systematic review already exists that summarises the available evidence this should be referenced, as well as including reference to any relevant literature published subsequent to that systematic review. Where no such systematic review exists, it is expected that the applicants will undertake an appropriate review of the currently available and relevant evidence (using as appropriate a predetermined and described methodology that systematically identifies, critically appraises and then synthesises the available evidence) and then summarise this in their proposal. All applicants must also include reference to relevant ongoing studies, e.g. from trial registries, such as the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) registry, ClinicalTrials.gov and the European Union Clinical Trials Register.

What is the research question/Aims and objectives

Summarise the research questions / key aims and objectives of your proposal.

Project Plan

Applicants are reminded that NIHR strategy encourages research which follows need. Researchers should clearly articulate how their research meets this objective, and how this contributes to the scientific rigour of their programme. Programmes should recruit participants from geographical areas where the need is greatest, including for example the rural and semi-rural areas where many older people live, and represent areas of diverse socioeconomic and ethnic diversity.

Guidance for applicants on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for study participants:

Every person eligible to take part in research should be offered the same opportunity of taking part in that research regardless of:

• Geographical location
• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Ethnicity - for example:
  • The Centre for Ethnic Health Research toolkit for increasing participation of ethnic minority groups in health and care research
  • The INCLUDE Ethnicity Framework, which aims to improve trial delivery for under-served groups
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Socioeconomic status
• Access to health or social care

Nine of the twelve characteristics listed above are protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010. The additional three characteristics (bold) are defined by the NIHR and mentioned in Best Research for Best Health: The Next Chapter. 

All NIHR applications are expected to include information about how this data will be collected. In addition, applicants should demonstrate how these factors have been considered and addressed in their proposal, including steps taken to ensure the research sample is representative of the population the study is targeted at. Applicants need to explain who they are planning to recruit to ensure inclusivity of study participants and justify and explain any exclusions, for example by completing an Equality Impact Assessment. Costs associated with inclusivity, which may include, but are not limited to justified translation of research participant material into other relevant languages, would be expected and where appropriate should be included in the detailed budget section under ‘Other Direct Costs’. Additionally, applicants should demonstrate that all potential recruiting locations have been considered and the research is deliverable to those areas.

Please see the NIHR INCLUDE Guidance for more information about how to include under-served groups effectively:

• NIHR INCLUDE Guidance (General)
• NIHR INCLUDE Guidance (COVID-19 specific)

Helpful links:

• NIHR's promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in research webpage.

Team

Briefly explain why the team is well qualified to do the work. The team should be multidisciplinary and include relevant expertise. There should be a named person with appropriate skills and experience who is responsible for leading the PPI element within the project. This role should be an adequately costed and resourced research team member who is able to manage the PPIE plans and related activities. More information and examples of the activities a PPIE lead might undertake can be found in our guidance on the NIHR website. 

Timetable

Briefly detail the timetable for the proposed research, including key milestones and deliverables.

PPIE (Patient and public involvement and engagement)

The NIHR expects appropriate and well-designed involvement of patients/service users, carers and the public and other key stakeholders in the research it supports. In the outline application, it is essential to show your plans for involving service users, employees, employers and the public at each appropriate stage of the research project lifecycle. For example, sitting on oversight committees, being a member of the research team involved in activities such as recruitment, data collection, analysis, producing study materials and sharing findings. Your PPIE plans will be assessed by the funding committee which includes patient and public members. In the rare circumstances where PPIE is not appropriate, a clear justification must be provided.

You should also outline how PPIE has informed the development of the project so far. For example, the involvement of service users, carers, employees, employers or the public in shaping the research question and study design. These activities could include the development of feasible, relevant and acceptable recruitment plans, data collection tools, information materials, outcome measures, follow-up, intervention design and delivery.

For a full application, you will be able to explain how the PPIE will be managed, reported and evaluated; whilst it is not necessary to provide the detail in the outline application, early consideration should be given to these aspects.

A list of PPIE resources for applicants to NIHR research programmes is available on the NIHR website, including: Briefing notes for researchers on how to involve patients/service users, carers and the public, including definition of involvement engagement and participation; and Payments Guidance for researchers and professionals with information on budgeting for involvement. 

In this section it is also important that you identify all stakeholders who are relevant to your research proposal.  For each stakeholder group you need to be clear about how they benefit from your proposed research and, where appropriate, how they have been involved in the development of the application, as well as the plans for their involvement in the proposed research.

Section 6: Uploads

Mandatory

One single-side A4 page, listing references used throughout your proposal.

Non-mandatory

If required, an additional supporting (single side of A4) document can be submitted with your application form (e.g., a flow diagram illustrating the study design and the flow of participants, gantt chart, diagrams, pictures etc.). If submitting a flow diagram, applicants should also describe complex interventions and controls as accurately and fully as possible within their diagram. The PDF file should be submitted along with your application form. 

Section 7: Admin contact details

Please provide the details of an administrative lead as a secondary point of contact for any queries relating to the application, should it be supported. 

NOTE: This person does not need to be a co-applicant. 

Section 8: Research and Development office contact details

Please provide the contact details and job title of a person in the R&D office so that we are able to notify them of the outcome of this application including any associated feedback. 

NOTE: Please note this person does not need to be included as co-applicant. 

Section 9: Validation Summary

Please follow the next steps in order to complete your application submission process; 

• Validate all mandatory/required fields listed below (that are required to be completed/amended before submitting) 
• Click 'Save and Close' 
• Click the 'Submit' option (this must be completed by 1pm on the day of call close) 

You will receive an automated email containing the acknowledgment that we have received your application. 

If there are no validation requirements above you may be ready to submit the application. To do so 'Save and Close' the application and then click ‘Submit. 

Please note that your submission will not be considered complete until all applicants have confirmed the application and the ‘Submit’ button becomes available and is then used.