Trust and confidence in policing: Research & Innovation Consortium
Funding
Up to £2,000,000
Deadline
27 October 2026
Location
England
Applications
Deadline: 27 October 2026
Overview
This UKRI funding will set up one Research and Innovation Consortium to develop and test new ways of measuring public trust and confidence in policing in the UK. It is part of the Safer Streets Research and Development Missions Accelerator Programme. The tools must give police and their partners real-time feedback. They must also be affordable, scalable and easy to use. They should reach voices that conventional methods often miss, with a clear priority on children under 18 and on victims and survivors of violence against women and girls. The consortium must also run pilots with UK police forces in at least four areas, to test which approaches build and sustain trust. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £2 million, and UKRI will fund 80% of that. You should budget at least 40% of the FEC for a ring-fenced flexible fund, which supports small pilot projects run by researchers outside the core team. The award lasts 36 months and must start by 1 February 2027. It suits a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding, leading a partnership of academics, police, third sector organisations, community groups and industry. Applications close at 4:00pm on 27 October 2026. One practical point: you need a track record of working with police forces, backed by partner letters of support. If formal partnerships are not yet in place, you must give a credible plan to secure police partners quickly. Conventional large-scale surveys and public opinion polls will not be funded. Official source: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/trust-and-confidence-in-policing-research--innovation-consortium-grant-1. Last checked by GrantMatch on 15 October 2026.
Requirements to check
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- Project lead must be at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding
- One consortium will be funded
- Project must start by 1 February 2027 and run for 36 months
- At least 40% of the full economic cost must go to a ring-fenced flexible fund
- Must deliver pilots with UK police forces in at least four areas
- Must prioritise children under 18 and victims of violence against women and girls
The project lead must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding. People from UK-based businesses, third sector organisations and government bodies can join as project co-leads. International researchers can apply as project co-leads (international). Other international collaborators should be listed as project partners. UKRI will not fund associated studentships, conventional large-scale surveys and public opinion polls, purely theoretical or methodological research, or projects not mainly focused on trust and confidence in UK policing.
This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.
UK research organisations eligible for UKRI funding that can lead a partnership with police forces, community groups, third sector organisations and industry to measure and improve public trust in policing.
Regions
Full details from UK Research and Innovation, AHRC, BBSRC, ESRC, EPSRC, MRC, NERC, STFC
Apply for funding to develop and test dynamic tools and innovative approaches to measure public trust and confidence in policing by 2030. The tools and approaches developed will access the voices of underrepresented communities, assess the impact of police activity, and identify what builds public trust and confidence.
Start your application on the UKRI Funding Service, using the "Start new application" link on the funder's page. Your application needs a co-design plan, details of your advisory group and your flexible fund, and letters of support from police partners. A panel assesses applications, and UKRI aims to finish assessment within 4 months.
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Create free accountLast updated: 15 October 2026