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Starting procedures

The process for activating a grant consists of two separate stages. The Research Organisation must formally accept the grant by completing and returning the Offer Acceptance within 10 working days of the offer letter being issued. Returning the Offer Acceptance will result in the Start Confirmation and the Payment Schedule being issued.

The Start Confirmation must be submitted within 42 (calendar) days of the research/training starting and the start date shown on the start confirmation will be regarded as the start date of the grant. The start of research may be delayed by up to 6 months (ESRC and AHRC 3 months) from the start date shown in the offer letter, the duration of the grant remaining unchanged. The grant may lapse if it is not started within this period.

The start of research should be defined as follows:

For research grants with DI staff: the date on which the first DI staff supported by the grant start work;

For research grants with DI staff, but where it is intended that staff should not be in post at the start of the grant: the date on which expenditure on any other DI or DA (excluding estates) heading first occurs;

For research grants without DI staff: the date on which any DI or DA (excluding estates) expenditure first occurs.

Grants may not be started in any other way without prior approval from the research council.

Expenditure may be incurred prior to the start of research and subsequently charged to the grant, provided that it does not precede the date of the offer letter.