For GP practices across England, the funding landscape for clinical research is changing — and changing significantly. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has launched two major new funding streams for 2026/27 that could provide your practice with substantial infrastructure support to deliver research. Here's what you need to know.
Two New Funding Streams
The NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) is offering two distinct funding opportunities for the 2026/27 financial year.
1. Strategic Funding
This stream supports longer-term projects aimed at strengthening research systems and delivery across regions. Strategic funding can be used for initiatives such as funding staff to facilitate responsive study setup and recruitment within 90 days of HRA/REC approval, funding collaborations to streamline cross-organisational processes, and testing innovative research delivery models such as hub-and-spoke approaches or Primary Care Research Hubs.
Critically, applications should increase research capacity and capability in primary care settings — including not just general practice, but also pharmacy, dental, ophthalmology and audiology. There is a specific focus on addressing geographical areas of high health need but historically low research activity, including rural and coastal areas.
2. Wider Care Settings Funding
This stream is more directly accessible for individual GP practices and supports research delivery infrastructure. GP practices can receive between £55,000 and £100,000 depending on their research track record and capacity. The funding supports staff costs, GCP training, and delivery of interventional studies. Practices that achieve RCGP Research Ready® accreditation receive an additional payment on top.
What This Signals
These funding streams are not happening in isolation. They sit alongside the government's 10 Year Health Plan and its explicit commitment to shifting research from hospital to community settings. The NIHR has also recently established 14 new Primary Care Commercial Research Delivery Centres (PC-CRDCs) across England, signalling a structural commitment to making primary care the engine of the UK's clinical research enterprise.
The message from NIHR is clear: primary care research is no longer an afterthought. It is a national priority.
Who Can Apply
Applications are coordinated through the 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs). GP practices, PCNs, federations, community pharmacies and other wider care settings in England are eligible. Applications open and close on regional timescales — check your RRDN for specific dates.
A Note on Timing
The 2026/27 funding cycle is already underway. If you missed this cycle, it is not too late to prepare your practice for 2027/28 by building your research track record now. Delivering even one or two NIHR portfolio studies this year puts you in a much stronger position for future applications.
How PCRA Can Help
As an established GP research network with a portfolio of commercial and NIHR studies, PCRA supports member practices in building the research infrastructure needed to access this kind of funding. If your practice is interested in becoming research-active — or scaling up existing research activity — we can help you get there.
Talk to PCRA →Dr Daphne Hazell is CEO of the Primary Care Research Alliance and holds an NIHR NCVR Champion role for the Kent, Surrey & Sussex region.