FOI release

FOI2025/00128: 8% Stipend increase modelling

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 FOI2025/00128

Received 31 January 2025

Published 22 May 2025

Request

Request received: 31 January 2025

Please can you supply any modelling on the impact of the 8% stipend increase announced in January 2025 on the number of students that can be funded by UKRI. I am looking for all technical documents as well as letters/paper prepared for the UKRI Executive Committee and UKRI Board

Response

Response sent: 27 March 2025

Please find attached a document which contains information relevant to the 8% stipend increase and modelling, “2024-EXXX UKRI minimum stipend for academic year 2025-26 Submitted”.

 

Please note that the information we are disclosing in the attached document is that which is specifically relevant to the 8% stipend increase for 2025/26 only. As the document provided contains some information regarding other subject matter that is not within scope of your request, (e.g. student fees, future planning) this information has been redacted. 

 

The names of some UKRI employees have been withheld as personal data, under section 40(2) of the FOIA. We consider that disclosing this information would contravene the first Data Protection Principle as defined under Section 86 of the Data Protection Act 2018 and Article 5 of UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

 

Section 40(2) is an absolute exemption and does not require a public interest test.

 

In addition to the document provided, the following is an extract from the UKRI Executive Committee Meeting minutes held on 28 January 2025, which records the decision taken:

 

9. UKRI Minimum PhD Stipend for Academic Year 2025-26

9.1 ExCo agreed that the stipend needs to keep pace with the National Living Wage (NLW). ExCo acknowledged the tension between keeping the stipend competitive, university financial sustainability, given that universities fund a significant number of studentships from their own resources, typically matching the UKRI stipend.

 

9.2 ExCo agreed to increase the level of minimum UKRI stipend for the academic year 2025/26 to £20,780 (8.0%) to keep pace with the NLW, and the minimum UKRI fee to £5,006 (4.6%). The total additional cost to UKRI (based on Sept 24 council figures) would be £10.4m if councils wish to maintain their plans.

 

DECISION: ExCo agreed to increase the level of minimum UKRI stipend for the academic year 2025/26 to £20,780 (8.0%) to keep pace with the NLW, and the minimum UKRI fee to £5,006 (4.6%). The total additional cost to UKRI (based on Sept 24 council figures) would be £10.4m if councils wish to maintain their plans.

 

Please note that subsequent to the Executive Committee’s decision on the stipend level, additional funding was allocated for the academic year 2025/26 so that there would be no reduction in planned student recruitment for the forthcoming year.

Documents

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