FOI release

FOI2025/00453: Information on UKRI employees

This request was refused in part, so we didn't provide some of the information the requester asked for. This may include information where we can neither confirm nor deny that we hold it.

Case reference FOI2025/00453

Received 28 April 2025

Published 18 November 2025

Request

Request received: 28 April 2025

Please could we request the following under the Freedom of Information Act:

1. Suspension Patterns and Characteristics

Please provide a breakdown of all UKRI employees suspended from 1 January 2022 to the present date. For each case, please include:

• Band level or equivalent grade

• Gender

• Whether the individual had a recorded disability or adjustment need - Length of suspension

• Whether the suspension followed a whistleblowing report

• Whether the process resulted in disciplinary action or no case to answer
  

2. Overlapping Grievance and Disciplinary Investigations

How many employee grievance cases raised between 1 January 2021 and the present were handled concurrently with disciplinary or whistleblowing investigations? For each case, please indicate:

• Whether the grievance or disciplinary process was paused or prioritised

• Whether the grievance involved allegations of discrimination, bullying, or harassment

• Outcome of each process (if known)
  

3. Application of the Whistleblowing Policy

Please provide:

• The number of complaints handled under the UKRI Whistleblowing Policy since 1 January 2021

• How many of those complaints related to staff conduct or interpersonal conflict (e.g. bullying or harassment)

• How many were made anonymously

• How many resulted in suspension of the individual subject to the complaint and if so, whether their suspension was in whole or in part of their duties and their gender?
  

4. Neurodiversity and Disability Support Framework

Please provide copies of all policies, internal guidance, or training materials used by UKRI between 2020 and 2025 relating to:

• Support for neurodivergent employees (including ADHD)

• Implementation of reasonable adjustments

• Managerial training or expectations around disability inclusion
  

5. Innovate UK and IUK Business Connect Staff Surveys & Verbatim Feedback (2021–Present)

Please provide the following in relation to employee feedback, leadership culture, and workplace experience, with responses clearly disaggregated for:

• Innovate UK employees

• IUK Business Connect employees

a. Copies or summaries of any staff surveys, engagement surveys, or pulse check surveys conducted at either Innovate UK or IUK Business Connect between 1 January 2021 and the current date.

b. Any free-text responses or anonymised verbatim comments submitted by staff in either organisation during those surveys, specifically those referencing:

• Senior leadership or executive team behaviour

• Organisational culture, psychological safety, or employee voice

• Bullying, exclusion, or fear of retaliation

• Trust in HR, grievance or whistleblowing processes

• Mental health, burnout, or wellbeing concerns

c. Any internal reports, dashboards, PowerPoint presentations, or summaries prepared by or for UKRI, Innovate UK, or IUK Business Connect leadership or HR interpreting the above data (e.g. trends, themes, or risks flagged).

6. Suspension – Internal Guidance

Please provide any internal HR or legal guidance documents circulated between 2021 and 2025 that explain:

• The standard process (and safeguards) for suspending an employee under the Managing Performance and Conduct Policy

• How suspension is communicated internally

• The treatment of governance roles or public-facing duties during suspension.

(Question 7 was withdrawn on 17 June 2025 following clarification discussions)

Response

Response sent:

17 September 2025 - interim response answering Qs 1-3 and 5-6

18 November 2025 - follow up response answering Q4

Full details of the response are provided in the attached documents

Documents

• (Set 03.) 35. Half Day - Wellbeing Ally Training Pack_Redacted.pdf (1.2 MB)
• 01. Internal Guidance.zip (37.8 MB)
• 02. Reasonable Adjustments.zip (11.1 MB)
• FOI_Response_Letter - FOI2025_00453 Q4_Redacted.pdf (302.3 KB)
• FOI_Response_Letter - FOI2025_00453_Redacted.pdf (185.3 KB)
• Innovate UK Business Connect Staff Engagement Survey 2024.pdf (1.4 MB)
• Innovate UK Business Connect Staff survey 2023.pdf (261.0 KB)
• Innovate UK People Survey 2022 _Redacted.pdf (11.6 MB)
• Innovate UK People Survey 2023_Redacted.pdf (11.7 MB)
• Innovate UK People Survey 2024_Redacted.pdf (12.3 MB)

This is UK Research and Innovation's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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