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How much to pay research participants in the UK

A defensible way to set incentives, what ethics committees look for, and why women's health studies often need to pay more.

8 September 2026 · last reviewed 8 September 2026 · 2 min read

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There is no fixed rate for participant payment in the UK, which is why the question comes up in every study design meeting. What there is, is a defensible method.

Key points

  • Base payment on the full time commitment, not survey length alone.
  • Use a clear hourly benchmark and pay screening time fairly.
  • Never make payment depend on the answers a participant gives.

Start with the real completion time

Estimated completion times are almost always wrong, usually by a third. Pilot the task with three or four people who resemble your sample and use the median, not the fastest run.

Include everything you are asking for: reading the information sheet, the screener, the task itself, and any follow-up.

Pick an hourly benchmark and apply it pro rata

A practical benchmark is the independently calculated real Living Wage, although research payment is not legally required to follow it. [1] Set your rate, multiply by the real completion time, and round up to a friendly number. A twenty five minute survey at twelve pounds an hour is five pounds, so pay five pounds rather than four pounds ninety.

Pay for screening time

If your screener takes more than a minute or two, you are asking for unpaid work from people who may then be turned away. Either shorten the screener, or pay a small amount for completing it.

Pay more for hard subjects

Women's health studies routinely ask about miscarriage, infertility, chronic pain, incontinence and sexual function. The time cost is the same as any other survey and the actual cost to the participant is not. Uplifting the rate for sensitive topics is both fairer and better for your data, because people who feel properly compensated give longer and more honest answers.

What ethics committees look for

UK Health Research Authority guidance says payment should compensate time, expenses and inconvenience while avoiding undue influence over the decision to participate. [2]

  • State the rate and the basis for it.
  • Frame it as recognition of time and inconvenience, not as a reward for a particular answer.
  • Explain what happens if someone withdraws part way through. Explain payment after withdrawal clearly and avoid terms that could pressure someone to remain in a study. The exact arrangement should be proportionate and approved where ethics review applies. [2]
  • Be specific about the method and the timing of payment.

Do not pay on outcome

Never make payment conditional on giving a usable or positive answer. You can and should exclude clearly fraudulent or non-attentive submissions, but say in advance what that means and give people a route to challenge it.

References

  1. Living Wage Foundation. What is the real Living Wage?
  2. Health Research Authority. Payment and incentives in research.

Common questions

Is participant payment taxable in the UK?

Small one-off payments for taking part in research are not usually treated as employment income, but the position depends on the amount and the frequency, and it is the participant's responsibility. Say plainly in your information sheet that payment may need to be declared and that participants should check their own circumstances.

Can I pay in vouchers instead of cash?

You can, and many universities do, but vouchers are worth less to people on low incomes and can look like a way of paying less. Cash or bank transfer is fairer where your process allows it.

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