Costs guidance for research grants
This page provides guidance on the costs that we cover in our funded research grants.
Parkinson’s UK only funds directly incurred research costs (costs that would only be incurred if the project were to go ahead).
Further guidance on the types of costs that may be charged to the charity’s grants can be found by:
- downloading the guidance document, or
- searching in the text below for the relevant information.
For more information contact [email protected]
Download the guidance
Please find below guidance on the types of costs that may be charged to the charity’s grants, including:
Allowable costs
Allowable costs
| Transaction | Examples |
|---|---|
| Accommodation costs | Up to 3 months reasonable accommodation costs for grant staff working away from their host institute for project-specific reasons. For example, grant staff working at a collaborator’s laboratory to learn a specific / specialised technique that is essential to the project. The host institute will need to be able to evidence that the staff member is paying accommodation costs at both the host institute location and the location they are working away at. |
| Animal research costs | Animal purchase and transportation costs, maintenance (including food) and experimentation costs. |
| Cell line authentication costs | Costs to support the authentication of cell lines. We will also cover purchase of cell lines from cell banks. |
| Communication with study participants | Costs related to regularly keeping current study participants updated and engaged throughout the research process – from participants signing the consent form through to the publication of research findings from the grant. Costs for staff time to develop and share communication materials for participants on the study progress specific to the grant. Costs for printing and posting communication materials to participants on the study progress that are specific to the grant. Please see our Staying Connected Toolkit for support and guidance on communicating with study participants. |
| Data sharing costs | Archiving, repository fees, data storage costs and data management services. Data management and sharing costs must be reasonable and proportionate in the context of the overall grant. Data sharing costs do not include open access publication costs. |
| Equality, diversity and inclusion activities |
Reasonable costs to enable in-depth equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) input for the grant – especially in the early phases of the project – to make sure it's representative and relevant to everyone in the Parkinson’s community. Please see our Race Equality in Research project webpage for guidance on planning and designing inclusive research. Cost for considering diversity throughout the lifecycle of your research, for example by looking at how to consult a range of people when planning, doing and evaluating the study. Costs for advertisement / outreach work with community organisations and developing relationships with trusted advocates. Cost for consultation with an EDI specialist for advice and delivery support. Expenses for reasonable travel and refreshment costs for relevant EDI advisors at workshops / focus group activities. Please see the INVOLVE website. Costs for incentives to take part in EDI activities (for example, vouchers, prize draws, fees or donation). Fair market value reimbursement for time and expertise. Cost for carers that will allow individuals to participate. Costs for accessible venues. Costs for diversity and inclusion training for relevant grant staff such as cultural competence / awareness training. Costs for bilingual grant staff and grant staff who are embedded in target communities. Costs for researchers skilled in evaluating diversity and inclusion activities. Costs and extra time for the recruitment of study participants from under-served groups. Costs for translation and interpretation of participant study materials and dissemination materials to help address language barriers. |
| Equipment access costs | Access fees charged by usage or size of grant where the equipment has not been purchased on a Parkinson’s UK grant. |
| Human tissue costs | Costs charged by tissue banks for the preparation of samples, administration of requests and postage. |
| Laboratory expenses | Laboratory chemicals and materials (for example reagents, isotopes, peptides, enzymes, antibodies, gases, proteins, cell/tissue/bacterial culture, plastic ware and glassware), as well as any associated charges for shipping, delivery and freight. Please note that ‘bench fees’ will only be covered if they are for named researchers on the grant, and only if the Host Institution confirms that they do not include charges for non-allowable costs. |
| Overseas costs | Research expenses of up to £10,000 for overseas research work essential to the success of the proposed project can be requested. Detailed justification for this must be provided. |
| Patient and public involvement expenses | Reasonable travel and refreshment costs for patient and public involvement advisors. Fair market value reimbursement for time and expertise. See the INVOLVE website. |
| PhD studentship costs (as part of a wider research project) |
Costs relating to a PhD studentship may be requested if it is part of a wider project and not the primary or only position funded to work on the proposed research project including: We recognise the rising costs of living is affecting postgraduate researchers. We are actively working to review the support we offer. We will communicate any decisions resulting from this review to relevant applicants.
|
| Protective clothing above standard health and safety measures | Costs for project-specific personal protective equipment (PPE) that is above the standard expected for the setting may be requested. This does not include clothing (lab coats, gloves, googles, protective clothing and shoes) to meet standard health and safety measures. |
| Publication costs | The Charity encourages grant applicants to include open access costs within their research grant applications. Open Access costs may be covered by any underspend on the grant, following completion of a grant variation form. Please see the charity’s Open Access Policy. |
| Salaries for grant staff on fixed term contracts to work specifically on the research project |
Researchers on fixed term contracts to work specifically on the research project. This may include fellows, research assistants, data managers, students (except overseas student fees), technicians and nurses. Salary costs may be used to fund salary (but not the apprentice levy), the employer’s national insurance contribution, and an employer’s pension contribution which will not be higher than the rate used by the University Superannuation Scheme (USS) or NHS pension scheme. Please see the conditionally allowable costs for guidance on salaries for principal investigators, co-applicants or collaborators named on the funding applications. The charity funds UK based research posts only, however research expenses of up to £10,000 for overseas research work essential to the success of the proposed project can be requested. Detailed justification for this must be provided. |
| Subject & volunteer expenses | Recruitment, reasonable travel and refreshment costs for subjects and volunteers in population studies. |
Conditionally allowable costs
| Transaction | Allowable | Non-allowable |
|---|---|---|
| Catering / hospitality | May come from grant underspend if for collaborative meetings relating to the grant and not excessive in cost | If for reasons unrelated to research (for example, staff parties) |
| Equipment purchase costs | Costs may include purchase and delivery of small items of scientific equipment where that equipment is specific to the grant. Large items of scientific equipment where the majority of the cost is contributed by the host institute. Quotes must be included for Items costing £5,000 or more. | Items of equipment not specific to the grant or non-scientific equipment. Items of equipment of a higher specification (and cost) than is needed for the specific grant. Large items of scientific equipment where the majority of the cost is not contributed by the host institute. |
| Overseas research costs | Research expenses of up to £10,000 for overseas research work essential to the success of the proposed project can be requested. Detailed justification for this must be provided. | Research posts based overseas. |
| Postage / courier costs | If posting scientific materials, delivery costs | General postage costs |
| Recruitment: post advertising, relocation costs, interviewee expenses | If relating to recruiting study participants on a clinical trial | If relating to recruitment of posts to a grant |
| Salaries for grant staff named on the funding application as principal investigators, co-applicants or collaborators | If their salaries are dependent on grant funding. In these cases the charity would require a letter from the Institute confirming this. | If their salaries are NOT dependent on grant funding. |
| Software | If specialised software specific to the funded research (for exmaple, specialised bioinformatics software) | Generic office software |
| Staff travel & subsistence, conferences, meetings | Reasonable costs covered if the purpose of the travel relates to the grant (for example, travel to see study participants, collaborator meetings). Remote conferencing should be considered where possible. Funded Fellowship holders may apply for travel costs specific to those schemes. | First class travel. Meetings organised / hosted by Parkinson’s UK where attendee costs are reimbursed directly by the charity (these costs should not be charged to grants). Travel to conferences. |
| Telephone conference call costs | If in lieu of travel expenses for attending a meeting (NB infrastructure costs remain the responsibility of the host institution) | All other cases |
| Training specific to scientific equipment used on the grant | If the training is to use scientific equipment required specifically to carry out the proposed research. | If the training is to use non scientific equipment (for example IT, computing) or equipment that is not specific to the proposed research. |
Non allowable costs
| Transaction | Examples |
|---|---|
| Apprentice levy | |
| Archiving | |
| Conferences | Travel, subsistence, registration fees |
| Fees to professional organisations | Journal subscriptions, professional membership |
| Furniture | Chairs, desks, lab furniture, telephone handsets and conference call hubs |
| General estate costs | Key cutting, electrical point installations, waste disposal, cleaning services, removal costs, etc |
| Gifts / Payments | Gift vouchers or payments for study participants |
| Health and safety | First aid kit, hazard signs |
| Insufficiently evidenced costs | If there is insufficient breakdown of expenditure with the invoice, it will not be paid. |
| Insurance | Laptop, travel, etc |
| Miscellaneous | Paper wipes, laundry, reference books |
| Mobile phone costs | Handsets, contracts, calls, texts (unless for participants to use as equipment) |
| Overseas research posts | The charity funds UK based research posts only, however research expenses of up to £10,000 for overseas research work essential to the success of the proposed project can be requested. Detailed justification for this must be provided. |
| Phone / computer accessories | Drives, cases, chargers, batteries |
| Printing / photocopying | Rental of copiers |
| Promotional material | Pens, mugs, calendars, business cards |
| Regulatory licences / fees | Home Office licences and animal handling training costs |
| Salary recovery costs | Staff costs of applicants, departmental support staff (secretarial support, librarians, general lab support staff) and other staff currently funded full-time by HEFCE or the employing institution. Exceptionally, a contribution towards the salary of HEFCE-funded departmental technicians may be charged so long as the time spent on the project by the technician can be supported by a verifiable audit trail. |
| Shared catering | Coffee, milk, water, vending machines and maintenance |
| Standard IT charges | Standard per unit IT costs |
| Standard telephone & internet costs | Broadband, mobile line rental and calls |
| Stationary | Paper, pens, toner, office postage |