Grant Award Letters
When do the changes to Grant Award Letters come into effect and does this affect only new awards or are current grants (i.e. renewals) included?
Our current Terms and Conditions became effective for all awards on 2nd February 2009. For existing awards, an award letter in the new format will be issued when your current Grant Award Letter expires. Please note carefully the transitional clause for reconciliations.
For new grant applications what information is required in relation to salaries?
The salary information required is:
- Salary scale and point
- FTE
- Basic starting salary
- Incremental rise and dates
Please note that some committees may still continue to ask for full details on costings in order to capture any profiling that may be necessary within the award. This would include requests for posts that are needed only in year 2 or later of the grant. Please continue to submit application forms as per the individual committee's requirements.
On what basis will oncosts be calculated?
Oncosts will be based on the employer's national insurance contribution and an employer's pension contribution which will be no higher than the rate used by the USS or NHS scheme. No Cancer Research UK funding should be used to fund deficits within a pension scheme.
Will pay awards be factored into Cancer Research UK calculations? What will happen if these awards are announced after submission of an application?
If a pay award is confirmed then Cancer Research UK will include this in the calculations of the first year of the grant. If a pay award has not been confirmed then Cancer Research UK will use the most accurate information available at the time and add a standard percentage to awards by way of contribution to any increases. Should new pay scales be announced in between the application and award Cancer Research UK will use the most up to date figures.
Will Cancer Research UK add on salary increments which become due over the period of an award?
No. All salary increments must be met from the standard indexation increase.
How will the indexation rate be determined?
The indexation rate will be set by Cancer Research UK and will be reviewed each year.
When will the indexation be applicable for an award? How will this work?
The indexation rate will be applied from the second year of the award for all new applications.
The first year of the award will include funding to cover confirmed increments at the appropriate dates, as well as a percentage set by Cancer Research UK to contribute to inflation. The funding for the following years will be based on the first year and will be indexed by the standard Cancer Research UK percentage. The indexation rate will be compounded year on year.
What will happen if the indexation rate applied over the duration of the grant is insufficient to cover actual pay awards made by the Institution?
The host institution will be expected to work with the grant holder to manage the award within the budget set. No additional funding will be made available by Cancer Research UK for increases to salary costs or running expenses.
Will supplements be awarded should a short fall be identified?
No. Cancer Research UK provides significant flexibility to grantholders and supplementary awards will not be granted other than in very exceptional circumstances. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions (Section 7.7) for full details.
Financial Reconciliations
Are Annual Reconciliation Forms (ARFs) still required?
For all grant installments issued before the 1st April 2009 an annual reconciliation form will be required. After the 1st April 2009 all instalments will be subject to the interim and final reconciliation process outlined in the Terms and Conditions.
Does the 3 months deadline apply to all grants?
Yes, the 3 month deadline applies to all existing and future grants.
Does the open virement of funds apply to grants that started before the 1st April 2009?
Yes. However, for grant instalments that started before the 1st April 2009 funds can be vired between salaries and running expenses but unspent funds may not be retained at the annual reconciliation of that instalment. All unspent funds must be returned to Cancer Research UK unless prior approval has been sought.
What can be vired?
Please see the Terms and Conditions (Section 7.7) for full details about Cancer Research UK's virement policy. Please note, any virement must be declared at financial reconciliation.
Virement to pay for attendance and travel to conferences is only permissable where the attendee is funded by the grant and when they are presenting research supported by the grant.
Will reconciliation supplement continue to be issued?
Cancer Research UK accepts no responsibility for and will not meet the costs of any overspend on the allocated funding unless prior written authorisation has been given. The only exceptions to this will be in regards to fellow salaries and student stipends where it is specifically stated that supplements will be provided when necessary.
Payments
What needs to be done before payments on a new grant can commence?
Prior to commencing payments Cancer Research UK requires completion of; an Undertakings Award Form (UAF), Grant Activation Form (GAF) and submission of a publishable abstract.
When should equipment awards be claimed?
Specific equipment awards should be claimed using an Equipment Claim Form (ECF) within 12 months of the start date of the award. This should be done once items are purchased so that copies of proof of purchase can be attached to the claim.
