Diabetes UK

Funds United Kingdom diabetes research, prevention programs, and support services for people living with diabetes.

Diabetes UK, legally The British Diabetic Association, is a UK charity founded in 1934 and registered in England, Wales, and Scotland. It is the country's leading diabetes research charity, with a mandate that spans cure, prevention, better living with diabetes, and a separate health-inequality agenda through its Tackling Inequality Commission.

Its funding mix is broad and unusually well structured. Project Grants go up to £500,000 over five years, Early-Career Small Grants go up to £15,000 for 12 months, the Sir George Alberti Research Training Fellowship goes up to £300,000 over three years, and the RD Lawrence Fellowship goes up to £525,000 over four to five years. It also supports PhD studentships, highlight notices, strategic calls, and the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge partnership.

The charity is strict about fit: research must be based at UK academic institutes or NHS Trusts, and the project-grant route requires a tenured post or salary cover for the life of the award. Applications move through online submission, external peer review, applicant rebuttal, screening, and committee review, which rewards hypothesis-driven proposals with clear patient impact.