UofG social scientists receive UKRI funding for data-driven research aimed at improving lives
Published: 24 February 2026
UofG social scientists have received UKRI funding that will enable them to conduct data-driven research aimed at improving lives across Scotland and the UK
Social scientists at the University of Glasgow have received UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding that will enable them to conduct data-driven research aimed at improving lives across Scotland and the UK.
ADR Scotland, a partnership between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research, was awarded a £25 million investment from UKRI, with the University of Glasgow receiving £2.5 million of this amount.
Three strategic themes will be explored by Professor Morag Treanor, Professor Nick Bailey and Dr Serena Pattaro, as part of the overall investment programme, which is led by the University of Edinburgh for 2026-2031.
The funding supports an infrastructure for safe, responsible research use of linked administrative data from a wide range of areas including health, education, crime and policing, taxes and welfare benefits. Administrative data provide population-level coverage over many years, offering uniquely powerful insights into changes in individual lives brought about by Government policy or the impact of events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Principal Investigator Professor Morag Treanor is theme lead for the Children and Young People theme. She said: "This new funding for ADR Scotland is an exciting and unique opportunity for us here in Scotland to harness our rich public sector data to enable us to conduct high quality research for the public good in Scotland. For our part at the University of Glasgow, we have an ambitious research programme on Children and Young People, Housing and Environment, and Work, Welfare and the Economy.
"I am proud to be the Principal Investigator for the University of Glasgow's programme under the wider grant, led by the University of Edinburgh, and am looking forward to this next five years of funding from UKRI."
Dr Serena Pattaro will lead on the Work, Welfare and the Economy theme, building on collaborative work with Government, academic and public sector partners. "I am pleased to be leading this theme as part of this major UKRI investment," she said. "Using innovative, large-scale linked administrative data from the tax, benefits and health systems, we will evaluate the social, labour market and health impacts of devolved Scottish and UK-wide benefits, including Universal Credit and disability benefits. This work will strengthen the evidence base at the intersection of social security and public health policy and support informed decision-making.
"I look forward to working closely with academic colleagues, government and wider stakeholders, to deliver robust evidence to help improve outcomes for individuals and families across Scotland and the UK."
Professor Nick Bailey will lead a new area of work, related to Housing and the Environment, working in support of Government's sustainability goals. He said: "In the next phase, we will be bringing together a range of data on housing conditions to study the impacts of housing-related policies on the environment as well as residents' health and well-being. The UK has some of the oldest, least energy efficient housing in Europe, with poor housing estimated to cost around £15bn a year in additional demand on the health service and wider social impacts such as loss of productivity.
"We'll look at the benefits that improving energy efficiency has in reducing carbon emissions from heating our homes, but also the co-benefits that investment can bring in relation to reducing fuel poverty and improving health."
Support will be given by Dr Silvia Behrens and Dr Emma Russell, as Research Associates.
First published: 24 February 2026