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Salary costs

The notes below respond to common questions about including salary costs in an application. Some guidance applies only to particular schemes – we have indicated where this is the case.

1. Can I include estimates for future pay awards?

Inflationary increases should not be shown in the budget. Annual incremental progression may be included, based on current pay scales. The Trust will endeavour to cover these increases over the period of the grant. Your finance office should include inflation in the end of year statement of expenditure. Some schemes specify a maximum grant value.

Applies to: all schemes

2. Should studentship fees/maintenance come under the Salary Budget or Associated Costs section of the Application Form?

Under Salary Budget and be based on the Research Council rates. Explicit justification is required for an overseas student.

Applies to: Research Project Grants, Research Leadership Awards

3. How do I calculate the cost of replacement teaching?

Applicants and co-applicants based in the UK can apply for a maximum of one year’s (33%) staffing replacement per grant over the course of a three year grant and pro rata for shorter or longer grants, for example, up to eight months for a two-year grant, and up to 16 months for a four-year grant.  The replacement should not be someone currently studying for a research degree.  

Applies to: Research Project Grants

4. Does the Trust pay for maternity, paternity or adoptive allowance leave?

Yes, the Trust will pay the unrecoverable statutory maternity, paternity or adoptive allowance. Please refer to the maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave policy.

Applies to: all schemes

5. Will the Trust pay redundancy?

Yes, for researchers and replacement lecturers working on a fixed term contract for two years or more the Trust will pay the statutory redundancy payment. However, redundancy payment will not apply if the researcher or replacement lecturer is offered a new post with the same employer. This should not be built into the budget, but agreed with the Trust at the end of the grant.

Applies to: all schemes

6. Does the Trust pay for sick leave?

No.

Applies to: all schemes

7. Can I change the number of staff (research assistants, postgraduate students, local researchers or consultants) requested on moving from the Outline Application stage to the Detailed Application stage?

No, these details are carried forward and cannot be amended.

Applies to: Research Project Grants

8. Can I add replacement costs for co-applicants on moving from the Outline Application stage to the Detailed Application stage?

No, this is not possible.

Applies to: Research Project Grants

9. What is the Trust's position on the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy?

The Trust consider the levy to be an overhead and therefore not an eligible cost. The levy is not a direct cost of employing an individual as it is related to the size of the payroll.  

However, the Trust will reimburse the Health and Social Care Levy, which is administered through a temporary National Insurance uplift.

Applies to: all schemes

10. Does the Trust cover visa costs?

In general, where a university incurs visa and related costs directly associated with the employment of a grant holder, or of a salaried employee (for example a Research Assistant) appointed to a Leverhulme-funded project, these will be reimbursed. The Trust expects the visa obtained to cover the full period of the award and so will not generally support requests for extensions (unless an award is extended) nor cover the costs of Indefinite Leave to Remain/settlement visas. 
In addition:

  • The Trust will consider covering up to 50% of reasonable visa costs for Visiting Professors, where the university will meet the remainder of the costs.
  • For Early Career Fellowships, where a university does not cover visa and related costs incurred, the Trust will consider reimbursing the Fellow directly (on submission of receipts).

Please note that relocation costs are only covered by the Trust in the Leverhulme International Professorship scheme.

Applies to: all schemes

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