Research into inclusive ageing

Are you a researcher, business, third sector or government organisation with an interest in inequalities and how this might affect inclusive ageing?

UKRI have announced a new funding opportunity for research into inclusive ageing, with a focus on how inequalities at all stages of life lead to different experiences of ageing. The aim will be to improve later life for groups who might experience inequalities by either reducing inequalities and/or improving inclusivity.

We are looking for relevant businesses, third sector or government organisations who are interested in collaborating and understanding how social and economic inequalities affect people in later life.

Projects must focus on both:

• improving understanding of how social and economic inequalities affect people in later life;
• identifying practical ways to improve inclusivity in later life.

Projects must improve understanding of ageing in relation to one or more of the following groups:

• disabled adults with lifelong physical and learning impairments (from birth or developed in early life) with conditions which meant limited lifespans in the past but who are now living longer;
• ethnic minority adults from midlife to later life, this also includes white minority groups, such as Gypsy, Roma and Irish traveller groups;
• LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and others) adults from midlife to later life.

Projects should also explore one or more of the following themes: 

• Contemporary ageing risks
• Place
• Social networks
• Employment and income
• Education and skills

Engaging people with lived experience of issues relevant to ageing is encouraged across the research process. Projects should be primarily social science, and primarily focused on issues relevant to the UK, but international collaborations are permitted. The project’s full economic cost can be up to £2.5 million and the ESRC will fund at 80%.

Who can apply?

Your project must include a principal investigator based at a UK institution eligible for UKRI funding. That organisation will be responsible for submitting the grant application to UKRI.

Collaborations beyond academia are encouraged, and UK co-investigators can be from across different sectors and be any of the following:

• Business
• Third sector
• Government body organisations

Successful projects should aim to start in June 2022 and last from 36 to 60 months.

How to apply?

Further information can be found on the UKRI call page

If you are a researcher or business, third sector or government organisation interested in applying please contact Alison Lundbeck

ESRC are holding a webinar on 23rd April– questions on the call can be submitted in advance by contacting ESRCInclusiveAgeing@esrc.ukri.org

Apply by 4pm on 8th June, 2021.