ESRC Responsive Mode: Secondary Data Analysis Round Two
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) · United Kingdom
Funding to support research that exploits existing data resources for social and economic research, created by ESRC or other agencies. The opportunity supports research across subjects within the ESRC remit, provided social sciences account for more than 50% of the research focus and effort. It also aims to develop skills and capacity in using large and complex existing data resources and encourages partnerships with non-academic stakeholders. (UK Research and Innovation)
Summary
Deadline
Rolling
Updated
16 Oct 2026
Funding to support research that exploits existing data resources for social and economic research, created by ESRC or other agencies. The opportunity supports research across subjects within the ESRC remit, provided social sciences account for more than 50% of the research focus and effort. It also aims to develop skills and capacity in using large and complex existing data resources and encourages partnerships with non-academic stakeholders. (UK Research and Innovation)
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Social sciences and interdisciplinary research where social sciences represent more than 50% of the research focus and effort. Proposals may draw from the wider sciences where they remain within the ESRC remit.
Match funding
No institutional matched funding is required beyond the standard 20% FEC contribution. Third-party project partner direct and in-kind contributions are encouraged. (UK Research and Innovation)
Eligible applicants
Project leads can be based at any organisation eligible for ESRC funding throughout the duration of the grant. Applicants can be at any stage of their academic career, provided the project team has the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience. More than one applicant can apply jointly, with one designated as project lead. (UK Research and Innovation)
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
Up to £300,000 Full Economic Cost (FEC)
Total fund available
Not specified
Funding intensity
ESRC funds 80% of the Full Economic Cost (FEC).
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Research using qualitative or quantitative data from at least one existing UK or international data resource; methodological development; and research involving researchers at different career stages. Projects can address any subject area or topic within the ESRC remit. Use of ESRC-funded data resources is encouraged but not required. (UK Research and Innovation)
Eligible expenses
- Eligible project costs can include resources required to conduct the research, including project staff, research activities, facilities and infrastructure, travel and other justified resources. Costly resources such as project staff, significant research travel, equipment over £25,000, exceptional consumables, facilities/infrastructure and costs classified as Exceptions must be justified. (UK Research and Innovation)
Ineligible costs
Not specified
Application and risks
Application platform
UKRI Funding Service
Competitiveness
Applications are assessed competitively through expert peer review and panel ranking against other applications. The assessment areas are vision, approach, data management and sharing, applicant and team capability to deliver, ethics and responsible research and innovation, and resources and cost justification. (UK Research and Innovation)
Decision timeline
No fixed decision date. ESRC states that applications are assessed once received and that regular decision points will be held to ensure applicants receive a timely decision. (UK Research and Innovation)
Assessment process
Applications undergo independent expert peer review. Applications receiving sufficiently supportive reviewer comments are invited to submit an applicant response, followed by panel assessment and ranking. ESRC then makes the final funding decision. (UK Research and Innovation)
Application sections
- Summary; Core team; Vision; Approach; Applicant and team capability to deliver using R4RI; Ethics and responsible research and innovation; Genetic and biological risk where applicable; Research involving animals where applicable; Conducting research with animals overseas where applicable; Research involving human tissues or biological samples where applicable; Resources and cost justification; Primary discipline classification; Project partners; Project partner letters/emails of support; Data management and sharing; Facilities; References. (UK Research and Innovation)
Application components
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if eligibility requirements are not met, the proposed work falls outside the ESRC remit, the project relies solely on primary data collection or other excluded activities, or the application does not meet the required assessment criteria. Applications without sufficiently supportive peer-review comments will normally be rejected before the panel stage. (UK Research and Innovation)
Timeline and partners
Opening date
29 Sept 2023
Project duration
Up to 2 years (24 months)
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
Not specified
Collaboration rules
- Applications may be submitted jointly by multiple applicants. Project co-leads can be included where they make a significant contribution. Partnerships with non-academic stakeholders are encouraged. UK business, third-sector and government organisations can also participate as project co-leads where eligible. (UK Research and Innovation)
Consortium requirements
- Not mandatory; collaborative teams are permitted. Project partners may be from industry, academia, the third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including EU-based organisations. Formal collaboration agreements are required if an award is made. (UK Research and Innovation)
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-08-13.
International Collaboration Requirement
International project co-leads from eligible non-UK research organisations can be included, but project leads from non-UK organisations are not eligible to apply. International partners and collaborators must comply with UKRI guidance on trusted research and innovation. (UK Research and Innovation)
Research Category
Social science research using existing data resources; secondary data analysis and methodological development.
Research Organisation Funding
The host research organisation is responsible for the remaining 20% FEC contribution and must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities.
Subcontractors
Not specified
Interview Stage
No interview stage specified
Key Requirements
The project must use qualitative or quantitative data from at least one existing UK or international data resource. Social sciences must represent more than 50% of the research focus and effort. The proposal should demonstrate high-quality, novel research within the ESRC remit and appropriate research capability. Where new datasets are created by linking existing resources, applicants must provide a data management plan covering how the data will be stored and shared. (UK Research and Innovation)
Important Notes
A current Artificial Intelligence for Social Science highlight notice is in operation. ESRC particularly welcomes applications using AI-powered research tools to address real-world social or economic issues, including areas such as digital trace/smart data, modelling complex economic and social systems, and AI-driven evidence synthesis. There is no additional or ring-fenced funding for the AI highlight, and applicants do not need to identify their application as part of the highlight notice. ESRC will give notice before closing the highlight notice. Primary data collection is not funded, although new datasets created by linking existing resources are permitted subject to data-management requirements. The opportunity page was last updated 11 May 2026. (UK Research and Innovation)
Application deadline in source document
Open - no closing date. UKRI states there is no deadline for submission, although a closing date may appear in the Funding Service due to system requirements. (UK Research and Innovation)
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Open
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Funding amount
- Up to £300,000 Full Economic Cost (FEC)
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Social sciences and interdisciplinary research where social sciences represent more than 50% of the research focus and effort. Proposals may draw from the wider sciences where they remain within the ESRC remit.
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- 29 Sept 2023