Low Pay Commission Call for Research Summer 2026
Invitation to tender for research to inform the Low Pay Commission's 2027 report and beyond.
Documents
Details
Each year the Low Pay Commission (LPC) assesses the impact of increases in the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the National Living Wage (NLW). We wish to commission a number of new research projects to inform our future work.
Our 2026 remit from the government asks us to consider the condition of the labour market, the cost of living, the impact of the minimum wage on businesses and wider macroeconomic conditions. It reiterates the government’s commitment to align the National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20 year olds with the National Living Wage, while giving the LPC full flexibility to determine the pace and timing of the alignment. It also asks the LPC to collect evidence on the effectiveness and operation of the Apprentice Rate of the minimum wage.
We are looking for research bids that respond to these themes or address other questions relevant to the NMW and NLW.
Invitations to tender
This page hosts documents for the following Invitations to Tender (ITTs):
- LPC 2026/01: An open call for 1-year research projects relating to the impacts of the minimum wage. We may commission up to three projects under this call. Projects should deliver results by Autumn 2027. The maximum estimated budget is £60,000 (excluding VAT), although we welcome bids for smaller projects. The tender submission deadline is 1 September 2026 (midday). Details are also published on Find a Tender.
- LPC 2026/02: A call for survey-based research on workers’ experiences of low-paid work. This research should deliver two waves of a survey of workers, with fieldwork in late 2026 and Spring 2027 and analysis completed by Autumn 2027. The maximum estimated budget is £50,000 (excluding VAT). The tender submission deadline is 1 September 2026 (midday). Details are also published on Find a Tender.
- LPC 2026/03: An open call for 2-year research projects relating to the impacts of the minimum wage. We may commission up to three projects under this call. Projects should deliver final results by Autumn 2028. This invitation to tender is aimed at larger pieces of research which will add substantial, new insight on the impacts or workings of the minimum wage. The maximum estimated budget is £100,000 (excluding VAT). We anticipate bids in the range £60,000 to £100,00. The tender submission deadline is 27 October 2026 (midday). Details are also published on Find a Tender.
The Standard Terms and Conditions (referred to in Schedule 6 of the ITTs) and the pricing schedule can also be found in the links above.
Research topics for open calls
We are particularly interested in research looking at minimum wages and the youth labour market or using novel methods or data to assess the impact of NLW increases since 2019. Suggested areas of research can be found in Schedule 7 of the ITTs for the open calls (LPC 2026/01 and LPC 2026/03). Researchers may also consult the LPC’s Areas of Research Interest document.
These suggestions are not exhaustive and we encourage bids likely to lead to new insights on any aspect of the functioning or impacts of minimum wages.
Information about previous LPC research projects is available on our website.
Submitting a bid
Details of how to apply are given in the ITT documents. Section 5, Part E lists the components of a complete tender. Please check you have attached all the components before submitting your bid.
If you have any questions relating to the content of this Invitation to Tender or the procurement process, please submit these via email to ronia.salman@lowpay.gov.uk, copied to LPC@lowpay.gov.uk.
The deadline for clarifications and questions related to LPC 2026/01 and LPC 2026/02 is Tuesday 11 August 2026 (17:00). The deadline for clarifications and questions related to LPC 2026/03 is Tuesday 29 September 2026 (17:00).
All clarifications and responses will be published on the LPC website alongside the tender documents.