# Use of Synthetic Data in Health and Social Care Research

**Funder:** NIHR
**Budget:** Up to £625k (100% FEC); NIHR/MRC fund up to 80% FEC
**Eligible countries:** GB
**Official call:** https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/use-synthetic-data-health-and-social-care-research-sep-2026/2026454
**Last updated:** 30 Aug 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Joint NIHR/MRC call (Better Methods, Better Research programme) for methodological research on synthetic health/social care data: privacy-fidelity trade-offs, regulatory frameworks, complex data structures (time-series, longitudinal, mixed types), rare diseases, and health economics. Public and patient involvement required throughout. NIHR/MRC fund up to 80% FEC.

## Summary

The NIHR and MRC joint call funds novel methodology research on synthetic data generation in health and social care, with budgets up to £625,000 FEC (NIHR/MRC fund 80%). The call targets UK-based researchers tackling privacy-utility trade-offs, regulatory frameworks, complex longitudinal data structures, and rare disease applications. Public and patient involvement is mandatory throughout the project.

## Who should apply

- UK researchers with expertise in synthetic data generation, statistics, or health informatics
- Teams with demonstrable public and patient involvement infrastructure or committed partners
- Projects addressing privacy-preserving data release, regulatory compliance, or complex longitudinal structures
- Applicants hosted at NHS, university, or other eligible UK research institutions

## Key dates

- Deadline: September 2026 (verify exact date on NIHR/MRC website)
- Project funding covers up to £625,000 FEC with NIHR/MRC providing 80% of costs
- Public and patient involvement required in application and execution

## Tips for applicants

- Public and patient involvement is a gating criterion, not an afterthought, embed it in your research design and budget from the outset.
- Frame your work around a concrete regulatory or clinical barrier to data access; methodological novelty alone scores weaker than methodology solving a real-world problem.
- If your project touches rare diseases or sensitive populations, highlight how synthetic data generation improves access relative to current practice.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much funding is available through the NIHR/MRC synthetic data call?

Up to £625,000 FEC per project; NIHR and MRC fund 80% of eligible costs, with applicants or host institutions responsible for the remaining 20%.

### Is public and patient involvement required for this call?

Yes, public and patient involvement is mandatory throughout the project and must be detailed in the application and budget.

### Who is eligible to apply to the NIHR/MRC synthetic data research call?

UK-based researchers and teams hosted at eligible institutions including NHS organisations, universities, and other recognised research bodies.

### What topics does the NIHR/MRC synthetic data call cover?

Priority areas include privacy-utility trade-offs, regulatory frameworks for data release, complex and longitudinal data structures, and applications to rare disease research.

### When is the deadline for the NIHR/MRC synthetic data call?

The deadline is September 2026; check the NIHR and MRC websites for the exact closing date.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/nihr-use-of-synthetic-data-in-health-and-social-care-re-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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