This funding round has closed.

Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence 2027-2030 – invite only

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

Applications closed

Funding: Up to £8,007,500
Deadline: 5 November 2026
Location: England
Applications: Applications closed

Overview

This invite-only funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), co-funded with the Office for National Statistics (ONS), supports the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) from 2027 to 2030. It pays for high-quality research to improve how the UK measures its economy.

The centre will develop new methods to capture economic activity. It will also modernise how economic and environmental-economic data is collected, processed and analysed. The work covers GDP, labour market and household statistics, productivity, innovation, business dynamics, and measures linked to net zero, climate change and the environment. It also explores big data, machine learning and AI. The centre must help the ONS shape global measurement standards, run an annual international economic measurement conference and include an annual Time Use Survey.

You can only apply if ESRC has invited you. It suits the research organisation leading ESCoE, working with partners across academia, policy, business and the third sector.

The full economic cost must not exceed £8.008 million. ESRC pays 80% of full economic cost, and the total funding you apply for must not exceed £7.2 million. Your host organisation must match ESRC funding by 20% of full economic cost. The award lasts 36 months and must start on 1 April 2027.

Applications close on 5 November 2026. You will not be able to apply after this time, so plan around any earlier internal deadlines your institution sets. Once you submit, your application cannot be changed, and applications that do not follow the guidance may be rejected.

Official source: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/economic-statistics-centre-of-excellence-2027-2030-invite-only/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 28 October 2026.

Requirements to check

Who can apply:

academic

Key requirements:

You can only apply if ESRC has invited you.
Full economic cost must not exceed £8.008 million.
ESRC funds at 80% of full economic cost; the total funding applied for must not exceed £7.2 million.
The host institution must match ESRC funding by 20% of full economic cost.
The award lasts 36 months and must start on 1 April 2027.
The bid must include an annual Time Use Survey, with ONS approval rights over its fieldwork, design and data changes.
ESCoE must deliver an annual international economic measurement conference.
Applications must be made on the UKRI Funding Service and submitted by the lead research organisation.

You can only apply if ESRC has invited you to do so. The opportunity is open to organisations with UKRI standard eligibility, and only the lead research organisation can submit an application. International researchers can join as project co-lead (international). UK-based business, third sector or government body project co-leads can also be included. List other international collaborators, and UK partners not based at approved organisations, as project partners. ESRC will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects already submitted to UKRI.

This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.

Who is this for?

The invited research organisation leading the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence, working with ONS and partners across academia, policy, business and the third sector.

Sectors

Professional & Scientific Services

Regions

England

No published award history for Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Some funders do not publish their grants data.

Full details from Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

This funding opportunity is designed to support the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence’s (ESCoE) high-quality research to improve economic measurement, enhance the production of key statistics, and address challenges related to economic measurement over a three-year period.

How to apply

If you have been invited, select 'Start application' on the UKRI Funding Finder page. The project lead signs in or creates a UKRI Funding Service account and answers the questions in the text boxes. You cannot apply through Je-S. Send the finished application to your research office, which checks it and submits it to UKRI on 5 November 2026.

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