The United Kingdom will raise the minimum annual stipend for PhD students to £21,805 from October 1, as part of efforts to cushion cost-of-living pressures on doctoral researchers.
The increase was announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the country’s national research funding body.
Under the new rates, the minimum stipend for PhD students outside London will rise from £20,780 to £21,805, while those based in London will receive £23,805, up from £22,780, a 4.5 per cent increase reflecting higher living costs in the capital.
UKRI said the uplift is another above-inflation adjustment aimed at making doctoral study more financially sustainable.
In addition, the minimum fee UKRI pays universities per funded PhD student will increase by 4.6 per cent, from £5,006 to £5,238.
The funding body also announced welfare reforms, including allowing doctoral researchers to take up to 28 weeks of medical leave, easing study extensions and improving access for disabled students.
The move follows sustained pressure from student groups, particularly in London, who have warned that inadequate stipends risk making PhD programmes inaccessible to less-privileged candidates.
