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Under the Research concordat funders have a responsibility to ensure that their funding mechanisms and policies are adapted to changing diversity and equality legislation and guidance, for example in their provision of additional funding and duration of grant to cover maternity, paternity and adoption leave. Working conditions should allow both female and male researchers to combine family and work, children and career and it is important that as a College we respond flexibly to requests for changed working patterns. For your information we have put together a list of the terms and conditions of some of the top research funders.   Regardless of the funders policy, the researcher is entitled to the same working conditions and benefits that the College provides to all its employees (see Family Friendly Guides and Policies documentation). If in doubt please contact Human Resources and/or the Research Office. Terms and conditions for covering family leave vary between research bodies but many do offer support.  All PI’s are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these terms and conditions should a member of their staff wish to take any form of family leave or put in a request for flexible working.     

Arthritis UK Arthritis Research UK does not pay the cost of maternity, paternity or adoption leave (or other leave to which an employee is entitled by statute or his employment contract) for people employed on the Grant. As the Host Institution is the employer, it is responsible to discharge all employer statutory and contractual payments for such leave, including any entitlement to remuneration during leave for sickness or injury, and Arthritis Research UK will not supplement the Grant for this purpose. The Grant Holder must inform Arthritis Research UK of the dates in advance of any maternity, paternity or adoption leave, and promptly where leave for sickness or injury has lasted more than 10 consecutive working days, of an employee funded by the Grant. Payment of the Grant (to the extent it relates to the salary costs of, or the work undertaken by, the employee on leave) will be suspended for the period of such maternity, paternity or adoption leave and may at Arthritis Research UK’s discretion be suspended for the period of leave for sickness or injury lasting more than 10 consecutive working days. If the employee returns to work after the maternity, paternity or adoption leave on a lesser time commitment, Arthritis Research UK and the Host Institution acting in good faith shall determine whether the period of the Grant should be extended to accommodate the new working basis.

British Heart Foundation policy regarding maternity leave We expect the institution to pay salary during maternity leave and, with the exception of programme grants which are awarded for fixed terms, we will put the grant into abeyance for the period of leave, and then extend it by the same period upon the person’s return to work. However, if the institution wishes us to pay salary, less statutory maternity pay, the grant may not be extended. We will need to know which is the preferred option and the exact dates of the maternity leave.

Leverhulme Trust policy for paying maternity, paternity or adoptive allowance leave The Trust will pay the unrecoverable statutory maternity, paternity or adoptive allowance. Applies to: all schemes

Research Councils UK We allow research staff funded for 100% of their contracted time on a grant to take maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave and make provision for additional costs of maternity where appropriate. Research Staff may also be employed on a part time basis. The duration of the grant may be extended, by an overall total of up to 12 months to allow work to be completed where it has been unavoidably delayed by periods of maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave, or by changes from full-time to part-time working. Research Grant funds may be used to meet the costs of paid maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave only to the extent that it is taken during the original period of the grant. Grant funds, within the announced cash limit, may be used to meet the costs of making a substitute appointment and/or extending the grant to cover a period of maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave for staff within the directly incurred and exceptions fund headings. The research organisation will be compensated at the end of the grant to cover any additional net costs, that cannot be met within the cash limit of the grant, of paid maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave for staff that are within the Directly Incurred and Exceptions fund headings, provided that they fulfil the relevant qualifying conditions of the employing Research Organisation. The net cost that can be drawn from the grant is the amount paid to the individual less the amount the Research Organisation can recover for Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Shared Parental Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay from HMRC. These additional costs should be claimed as necessary at the end of the research grant under the fund heading 'directly Incurred Absence' on the final expenditure statement, with an attachment detailing the type of absence, date and cost. The Research Organisation should have systems in place to ensure that these additional costs are assigned to appropriate budgets. The Research Organisation will be responsible for any liability for maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave pay for staff supported by the grant outside the original period of the grant eg that part of the paid leave that is after the original end date of the grant is the responsibility of the university, even when the grant is extended, and cannot be claimed from the grant.

Wellcome Trust: Maternity/paternity/adoption or sick leave We recognise the challenges that our researchers face when managing a research career with other responsibilities, such as family commitments or with health-related matters. Consequently, we will supplement grants by the actual costs incurred by the employing institution in meeting an individual’s salary while on maternity, paternity, adoption or sick leave (less any recoverable statutory pay). This entitlement is open to all individuals who take such leave whilst their salary (or studentship stipend) is being funded by a Trust grant. The official end date of the grant may also be extended for the period equivalent to the leave taken. In addition, for all grant holders, irrespective of whether the Trust pays their salary, we will also consider requests for supplements to cover additional direct research costs (such as research staff and expenses), that may be incurred due to the grant holder taking maternity, paternity, adoption or sick leave. Requests for such supplements will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Grant holders should contact their Grants Adviser or the Grants Information Desk further advice.