Guidance about payment for public contributors to research

We understand and respect that payment for public involvement in research is a critically important issue for many public contributors.

We understand that not all public contributors wish to receive payment for their time and have every right to decline it.

Please note: you are under no obligation to accept payment, but if you would like to receive it, you will need to complete and return the attached form to us.

For those who wish to receive payment, we understand that it can make you feel valued and respected, especially when payments are timely and payment processes are clear and easy to navigate.

If there is no payment on offer for the research involvement or participation activity, this must be clearly stated in the advert and the Information Sheet you receive from the researcher/research team. This will allow you to decide whether you want to get involved with or participate in the research, or not.

Do I have to accept payment?

Involvement@York recommends that all researchers at the University of York follow the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) good practice guidance on payment for public involvement in research. Where possible you should be offered payment for any involvement activity you undertake.

You may choose to decline payment or ask for a lower amount, which may be useful if you are receiving benefits.

If you are receiving benefits any research involvement payment may affect your claim. If you would like to be involved in research and plan to accept payment, please notify the Jobcentre Plus of the activity before you agree. If you need support in writing to the Jobcentre Plus, please contact the Principle Investigator (PI) of the research project or Involvement@York.

The rates of payment offered to you will vary by project; but every project should make you aware of the nature of the involvement, the duration and frequency of the involvement, the amount that a particular project is offering you and what expenses they will cover for you. This should be included in the Information Sheet you will receive ahead of starting any involvement activity. They are often shared with the public at the same time as a consent form.

Completing the payment form

You will be asked to complete a Payment Form. The form is typically sent by email for ease and speed of administration. If you would like the form in a different format (for example, a paper copy, or in large print) please tell the researcher/team. A stamped addressed envelope will be included so that you can post it back to the team at no cost to you.

If you would like support in completing the form, please contact the research/team.
If you choose to complete the form and return it by email, a typed signature is acceptable.

The form will be sent with some instructions about what information you need to add for the researcher/team to process the form.

If you have not been paid by the University of York before, you will be asked to provide your bank account details. If you do not have a bank account, please tell the researcher/team. An alternative payment by voucher can be arranged instead.

The form will have some details about the research project already completed - please do not change these.

What about expenses?

You should also be paid back for any expenses you incur as part of your involvement.

This typically covers things like travel expenses, and in some cases may include care or carer cover costs.

Online meetings

If you are involved in remote meetings (e.g. meetings that happen online via Zoom or MS Teams) you should be offered an allowance of £5 per meeting to cover the cost of telephone calls, paper, printing ink and internet connection.

Travel

You can book your own travel, and the University encourages the use of public transport where possible eg bus, underground, and trains at standard class or cheaper.

Accommodation

If overnight accommodation is required, this should be booked by a member of the research team using the University’s contracted Travel Management Companies.

Meals and other refreshments

For meetings and events, the team will usually provide meals, snacks and other refreshments. All reasonable costs for additional refreshments will be paid back to you.

Please always check what will and will not be covered before spending your own money with the Principle Investigator (PI) of the research project you are to be involved with.

The University’s Payment Policy for Research Involvement and Research Participation sets out how public contributors to research should be paid and the payment processes University staff should follow to ensure they are paid quickly.

In summary, you should expect:

To complete a short claim form to receive payment.
To receive help to complete this claim form if you need it.
To be paid by BACS transfer straight to your bank account.
It is very important that you understand that accepting payment for public involvement may affect any benefits you receive and will be eligible for tax.

Questions and contacts

I receive state benefits, how will accepting payment affect these?

It will be your responsibility to manage the tax or benefit implications arising from any payments for public involvement in research. The University of York will not be able to provide any financial advice to public contributors in relation to either.

If you would like to speak to someone for advice about how payment for involvement may affect your benefits, please contact publicpartnerships@nihr.ac.uk or call 020 88437117.

This is a free and confidential service hosted by Cardiff and Vale Citizens Advice to support members of the public whose welfare benefits may be affected by payment for involvement. If you are a member of the public involved in an NIHR organisation, or in a research project funded by the NIHR, you can use the service.

The service is not able to give advice on tax or National Insurance queries or for benefits enquiries relating to payment for participating in research (for example, for taking part as a subject of a clinical trial or research study). More information is available on the NIHR website.

If you are involved with or participating in research that is funded by another organisation (ie not NIHR), Citizens Advice can offer some support and advice to people whose benefits may be affected. This advice and information is provided by the local Citizens Advice to you.

To find your nearest Citizens Advice, put your town into the search bar on their website. This will provide details of how to contact your local Citizens’ Advice office.

I do not have a bank account, will I still be able to be involved and be paid by the University?

Yes. Whilst the University’s preferred method of pay is BACS, we understand that BACS payment may not be suitable for everyone and that some people do not have, or have access to, a bank account. In these instances, please tell the PI that you would like to be paid by voucher(s) and not by BACS.

Once payment by voucher to you has been made, University of York staff or the research team may contact you to check that you have received the voucher payment. This check is to make sure that the voucher payment has been successful, and means we can update our records. We have to keep records in order to meet the University’s responsibilities to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

I am a child or young person and I do not have a bank account - can I be paid?

Yes. Please make sure that you or the grown up providing consent for you to be involved with or participate in the research, tells the PI of the research project.

Once you receive the payment by voucher, the University of York staff or the research team may contact you or your consenting grown up to check that you have received it. This check is to make sure that the voucher payment has been successful, and means we can update our records. We have to keep records in order to meet the University’s responsibilities to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Contacts

The guidance above should answer most questions you may have about accepting payment and how it will be made when you are involved with or participate in research.

If you cannot find an answer to your query, please contact the team for your research project, or the Involvement@York team.

Authorship and acknowledgements

This guidance document was developed by the Involvement@York Team, with special thanks for their contribution and assistance in authoring this guidance to:

Louise Campbell, Anne Mason (NIHR Policy Research Unit in the Economics of Health and Social Care Systems (ESHCRU)).
Ruth Helstrip and Donna Davis (Sheffield) (NIHR Policy Research Unit in Economic Methods of Evaluation of Health and Care Interventions (EEPRU)) in the Centre for Health Economics (CHE).
Involvement@York Register Members.

Version Control and Review Date

This is version 1.1
The next review date is October 2025