Researchers within the Wage and Employment Dynamics (WED) community may be interested in a new funding opportunity from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI): the UKRI Policy Fellowships 2026 programme.
The scheme offers researchers the opportunity to work directly within government departments, devolved administrations, arm’s length bodies and What Works Centres, helping to ensure that high-quality research informs policy development and delivery.
A total of 50 fellowship positions are available across 26 host organisations, providing researchers with the chance to spend 18 months embedded within policy environments while developing new skills, networks and routes to impact.
For researchers working on labour markets, wages, employment, inequalities and related policy challenges, these fellowships offer a valuable opportunity to translate research into real-world policy change.
Fellowship strands:
The 2026 programme includes three fellowship strands:
- Core Policy Fellowships (UK and devolved government)
- Natural Hazards and Resilience Policy Fellowships (system resilience and preparedness)
- What Works Innovation Fellowships (including homelessness, policing and place)
How to apply
Researchers intending to use ADR UK or WED datasets in their fellowship proposals are encouraged to consider data access and project feasibility at an early stage. Secure access approvals can take time, so early engagement with dataset teams and data owners is strongly recommended.
The WED team would be pleased to hear from researchers considering an application and discuss the potential use of WED datasets within fellowship proposals. You can contact us at wagedynamics@uwe.ac.uk.
Applications close at 16:00 on Thursday 10 September 2026.
Click here for further information, including details of available fellowship positions and eligibility requirements.