The NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is looking to fund research about definitive social care interventions.
This is a 2-stage, commissioned funding opportunity. To apply for the first stage you should submit an outline application. If invited to the second stage, you will then need to complete a full application.
Our Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme invites applications in response to specific research questions and priorities. These have been identified, developed and prioritised for their importance to stakeholders including:
- Department of Health and Social Care
- NHS
- patients and public
- local government
Research question
The HTA Programme seeks to facilitate funding of social care research studies that have already progressed with UK funding that are now ready for a multi-site effectiveness and cost-effectiveness trial to show if the intervention works in practice and should be recommended for use.
The HTA Programme seeks research proposals that look to continue research already funded in the UK that meets all of the following criteria:
- Within the remit of the HTA Programme:
- research that is intervention focused with service user/carer focused outcomes; intervention is defined as any social care therapy/programme to improve quality of life
- research that is supported by existing evidence that it works within the UK (potentially in an idealised setting)
- research supported by practitioners and service users as well as researchers
- An intervention that directly affects social care service users and their families/carers that has been shown to have existing evidence that it works within the UK, with results that have been or will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Applicants should note that feasibility studies showing the acceptability of the intervention or the ability to recruit participants do not alone constitute evidence that it works.
If there are only weaker levels of existing evidence that a particular intervention works (even in an idealised setting), then the importance of the study will be considered by the HTA Programme and the pilot phase of the proposed study must set out robust, pre-defined early stopping rules based on statistical futility; staged funding based on pre-defined milestones may also be proposed.
- The proposed intervention and comparators/controls should be clearly defined using TIDieR guidelines.
- A study with service-user/carer focused outcomes designed to measure the effectiveness and evaluate the economics of the intervention, with findings that are ideally generalisable across UK social care.
Study design
The NIHR funds a diverse range of study methodologies but seeks studies that provide a definitive answer to the research question proposed, typically utilising study designs including randomised controlled trials and innovative trial designs including adaptive designs and platform studies.
Applicant teams should have multi-disciplinary input (with members with social care lived experience, methodological expertise, background in economics etc) and have used appropriate methodological design with input from a CTU and the RSS Social Care.
The RSS is a national service, and each hub and Specialist Centre is open to researchers based anywhere 9in England. The RSS can support researchers in the devolved nations if they are working in collaboration with English partners.
Applicants should note that both adults and children’s social care is within remit for this funding opportunity.
The HTA Programme and the RSS Specialist Centre for Social Care are running a series of webinars and a workshop to help applicants apply to HTA Social Care funding opportunities. This programme of support aims to help applicants overcome any barriers and encourage applications to increase robust evaluations of social care services and interventions. 2 further sessions are planned for this year:
- 22nd July 2026 (Online webinar) – Team expertise and involvement with the RSS
- 20th October 2026 – In-person application writing workshop in London
We are inviting expressions of interest from researchers seeking to evaluate adult or children’s social care interventions that meet the HTA criteria specified, to attend the writing workshop in October.
Funding opportunity scope
This is a broad funding opportunity where our intention is to fund more than one study.
Outputs
Pathways to Impact – we are focused on the impact of the research we fund. Applicants are asked to consider the timing and nature of deliverables in your proposals; and encouraged to maximise the impact of your research by explaining how you will mobilise knowledge and ensure that it is useful and relevant to stakeholders such as:
- policy makers
- public health officers
- special interest groups
- charities
- community audiences
- other stakeholders
Duration and costs
You are advised that we are custodians of public funds and value for money is a key criteria that peer reviewers and funding committee members will assess applications against.
Please refer to the public health and social care researcher guidance which provides information on the application process for non-NHS intervention shortfall costs noting that while commissioners are expected to cover these costs, DHSC support may be available if a shortfall remains. Further guidance can also be sought from RDN AcoRD specialists and via the AcoRD frequently asked questions.
Eligibility
Please refer to the overview tab for specific eligibility.
Inclusive research
You must detail how you have considered inclusive research design and sex and gender throughout the whole research lifecycle and provide information on any associated costs.
For full details see our inclusive research funding application guidance.
Visit funding web page
(https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/definitive-social-care-evaluations/2026474)
