Depending upon severity and whether the situation occurs on university property, you should consider calling the following services, at the time of the event:

• Emergency Services (Police)
• University Security Team

It is not compulsory to report incidents to the university, and this can also be done later. However, if you wish to report an incident, most universities have a ‘Report and Support’ scheme, whereby incidents can be logged either anonymously or with your contact information attached.

It may be necessary to contact external forms of specialist support service after the incident. These could include:

GP and NHS prescribed mental health support services

The NHS can provide a variety of free therapy services. These include forms of talking therapy and specialist trauma services.

Private mental health support services

It is also possible to get counselling and trauma-focused therapy privately. If you can afford it, this may reduce wait times before therapy begins. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy maintains a directory of qualified practitioners here: How to find a therapist: BACP Therapist Directory

Victim support

This is an independent charity that offers free confidential advice for people who have experienced a crime. You don’t have to have been a direct victim, and it does not matter when the incident took place, or whether it has been reported to the police. Their telephone number is: +44 (0) 8081689111. They also offer a live chat service on their website at www.victimsupport.org.uk.

Samaritans

Samaritans is an independent charity that offers people facing a personal crisis or suicidal thoughts with the opportunity to speak to someone who will listen to them. Their free confidential hotline is: 116 123.

Mind

Mind is an independent charity that offers confidential mental health support services, including separate hotlines for helping people with mental health problems to:

1. navigate the benefits and welfare system - 0300 222 5782,
2. receive legal advice on mental health related law - 0300 466 6463,
3. have someone listen to them who can guide them on taking the right steps to improve their mental health - 0300 102 1234.

Their website also offers live chat services at www.mind.org.uk.

Rape Crisis

Rape Crisis England & Wales works to support victims of sexual abuse, rape, assault, harassment, and all other forms of sexual violence. They maintain a free 24/7 Support Line - 0808 500 2222, and a live chat service at www.247sexualabusesupport.org.uk.

NHS/Healthcare Provider

Your first port of call will most likely be your primary healthcare provider – for most people in the UK, this is the NHS and more specifically, their general practitioner (GP). This is the first step in getting an official diagnosis, medication, and medical evidence, for all forms of health-related issues. Healthcare providers offer confidential advice and can provide ‘fit notes’ that can both indicate your inability to work as well as your ability to return to work.  Institutions are legally required to acknowledge receipt of fit notes. It is often necessary to receive a fit note before reasonable adjustments can be implemented on your return to work, or longer-term sick leave can be authorised.

Occupational Health

Universities offer centralised health assessment services. These are rarely therapeutic and instead offer evaluations of existing health issues and present recommendations for reasonable adjustments that can be implemented by employers/departments, including periods of phased return to work, reduced workloads, and resource provision.

Line Manager/Head of Department

Depending upon the condition, you may wish/need to speak to your line manager to discuss reasonable adjustments that can be made to accommodate a health condition. This could range from relatively informal, affecting short term flexibility arrangements, or more formal, with longer-term adjustments to workloads, deadlines and duties. Your line manager may need to speak to the head of department for more significant alterations (unless, of course, your line manager is the head of department).

Mentors/Peers

If you have a mentor or trusted colleagues, you may wish to discuss your health issues with them before raising them with your line manager or HOD. This can provide emotional validation and help normalise difficulties.

Human Resources

Human resources can provide guidance on institutional policy around topics such as reporting absences, disability support, and flexible working arrangements. They tend to coordinate with occupational health and can provide clarity on rights, entitlements, and procedures. They can also provide protections, if processes are correctly followed. It is often necessary if health issues are likely to be long-term.

Employee Wellbeing and Support Services

Universities often offer internal counselling and wellbeing support services that are free to access. Whilst employed by the university, these services should be confidential and can be useful for providing support that recognises the pressures associated with academic work. Many UK universities also have employee assistance programmes that are often separate from counselling services and which can be used remotely, online or via the telephone.

Trade Union

Trade unions can provide guidance on employee rights, workload arrangements, and reasonable adjustments. They can be a good source of advice before you make a disclosure to the university. Unlike the university, they prioritise the interests of the worker and can advocate on your behalf. You may be able to request that a union representative accompany you to meetings with University management, and their assistance can often help avoid the inappropriate escalation of issues. Please note, membership of trade unions is not free, but membership fees do consider differences in circumstance.

Sadly, financial difficulties among academic staff are not uncommon particularly for those working on fixed-term contracts and those with caring responsibilities or health conditions. There are several different forms of support that can be drawn on, if you are experiencing financial hardship.

Human resources

Human Resources can often help with short-term issues relating to cash flow, or institutional issues with the timing of payments. They may be able to advise upon and offer short-term salary advances or hardship loans. They may also be aware of institutional hardship or benevolent funds, if such schemes exist within your institution (they may not be publicised). They may also be able to adjust pension contributions and salary sacrifice schemes, if the matter is a short-term issue.

Trade unions

Being a member of a trade union (for most academics, this will be the UCU) can provide you with access to union-provided benevolent or welfare funds. Membership does cost a fee, but this typically acknowledges your financial situation. The UCU tends to be particularly supportive of financial hardship relating to precarious employment conditions or contract issues. Their support is independent of your employer and is provided confidentially and without judgement. In addition to direct financial support, they can advise on other forms of externally available support, including schemes offered by your university (which may not be advertised). They can also advocate on your behalf with management, if your financial situation intersects with your employment conditions.

Staff Hardship or Benevolent Funds

Many universities offer confidential staff support funds. They are typically provided by Human Resources, or by the university’s staff wellbeing and support teams. Schemes that may be available include one-off grants, emergency payments for rent, utilities, or travel, and financial support during crises, such as bereavement, illness, or partner redundancy.

Line Managers and Heads of Departments

Whilst departmental managers are unable to provide direct financial assistance, they may be able to provide support for dealing with other stressors that add to the stresses generated by financial hardship, including easing workload responsibilities or adjusting deadlines. They may also be able to help you access internal funds discretely. However, this does require you to disclose your financial situation to colleagues, and the levels of support provided may differ between departments and institutions.

Professional Bodies (e.g. Royal Geographical Society, British Academy)

Some professional bodies may offer financial support schemes, including emergency grants, travel or conference fee waivers, grants, or reduced rates, or benevolence support funds for members experiencing hardships.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice is a free independent body that can help with debt advice and budgeting, negotiations with creditors and landlords, and assessment of your eligibility for different forms of government welfare support (benefits). More information is provided on their website – www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

Turn2Us

An independent charity that offers confidential advice tailored to individual professions and circumstances. It also hosts a database of grants and benevolent funds. More information is provided on their website – www.turn2us.org.uk.

National Debtline

An independent charity that is run by the Money Advice Trust. It works in partnership with other charities to provide a free hotline service (0808 808 4000) and a webchat system (Debt Advice Online Chat | National Debtline). It works with Citizen’s Advice to provide general financial advice, Mental Health and Money Advice to provide specialist support for people with mental health difficulties who are experiencing hardship, and the HMRC, with whom it can refer you for extra support, if you have debts with them. Depending upon your situation, they may also be able to interact with bailiffs on your behalf.

Please note: The sources of support for financial assistance above may also have relevance for this section, if your accommodation issue relates to housing costs.

University Accommodation Office (or equivalent)

Many universities retain a small number of rooms or apartments for visiting academics, new starters, or emergency or short-term staff accommodation. These aren’t always advertised, so you may have to enquire about them, and access to them may be time-limited (days to weeks). Capacity is often limited, but this can be a way of finding short-term accommodation that avoids expensive hotels or commitment to longer-term contracts.

Line Manager/Head of Department

Departmental managers can provide letters of support for confirming your employment to landlords or estate agents. They may also be able to authorise a period of remote working or reduced travel expectations.

Citizen’s Advice

Citizen’s Advice is an independent charity that can provide free confidential advice on tenancy rights, eviction processes, benefits eligibility (including the Universal Credit housing element) and can negotiate with landlords or agents on your behalf. Further information can be found on their website – www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

Local Authority - Housing Support

Local authorities can provide advice on tenant’s rights and can mediate with landlords on your behalf. They are also legally required to help prevent homelessness within 56 days, once homelessness is threatened.

Local Authority – Environmental Health

Local Authorities also have a responsibility for investigating complaints concerning the condition of rented accommodation. You may wish to complain to your authority’s environmental health team if your landlord or agent ignores your report of a repair or maintenance issue, or if they do not fix reported issues in a reasonable amount of time. Local Authorities can issue legal notices that force property owners to implement requested changes.

Specialist Housing Charities

Renter’s unions such as ACORN can provide collective support and advocacy for tenants. Law Centres can provide free legal advice in accommodation disputes (find your local law centre here – www.lawcentres.org.uk), and Shelter provides personalised legal advice on housing issues and potential homelessness via their website (www.shelter.org.uk), webchat, and emergency helpline (0808 8004444).

We appreciate that if you need a visa to work in the UK, immigration requirements can shape your employment choices and add an extra layer of uncertainty when applying for or starting a new role. Unfortunately, this toolkit cannot provide immigration advice. Visa regulations are complex, subject to change, and depend on individual circumstances, so informal guidance may not always be accurate or appropriate.

Job applications and recruitment processes usually ask about visa status and ‘right to work’ in the UK at an early stage. If you require a visa, it can be helpful to identify the relevant contacts within the institution early on and clarify what support the university can provide around visa sponsorship. Universities typically have designated teams who oversee this process, and details of relevant personnel should be provided as part of the recruitment and job application. Trade unions and specialist advisers may also be able to offer guidance and help you understand your options.

Line Manager/Head of Department

If the issue relates to minor repairs or adjustments that are immediately affecting productivity and you either don’t have the authority to independently address them, don’t know who to raise the issues with, or think it needs wider recognition, it is worth speaking to your line manager or head of department. They can raise issues on your behalf, advocate for resource reallocation, or adjust workloads and expectations until the issue is resolved.

Estates

Estates are responsible for managing the university’s buildings, office spaces, utility systems, furniture, security access, and building repairs. They may also be responsible for implementing accessibility and ergonomic adjustments. You can contact them when there is an issue that severely affects productivity, or when a situation creates an unsafe or unsuitable workspace.

IT Services

IT services are responsible for hardware provision, software licensing and access, network connectivity, online services, printing, and shared storage. They are often guided by well-publicised institutional policies (for instance, regarding the replacement of ageing devices).

Research support

The research support team may be able to help you to secure funding for equipment, research spaces, or new laboratories. They can also advise on grant applications and the costing of staffing, equipment and facilities.

Occupational Health

Occupational health is responsible for assessing workplace needs and allocating resources for ensuring that the health of employees is maintained. They conduct ergonomic assessments, provide ergonomic technologies and recommended office setups.

EDI Leads

EDI leads are responsible for ensuring that the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion are maintained within departmental workspaces. Often, these principles have material dimensions. Speak to your EDI officer if you have concerns over the accessibility of office and teaching spaces, or recommendations for reasonable adjustments that could be implemented.

Human Resources

Human Resources can be contacted for clarification on workspace policies and resources, mediating disputes over resources, or when resources are entangled in concerns over employment conditions or employee wellbeing.

Trade Union

The trade union can provide advice on workplace rights and advocate on employees’ behalf in disputes over resources or facilities. 

Mentor/Trusted Peers

Sometimes, you may not know whether what is being asked of you is ‘normal’ or unrealistic. Speaking with a mentor (if you have one) or trusted peer can give you a sense of whether it is worth raising concerns over the distribution of your responsibilities. They can also talk through strategies for managing academic workloads and help you to implement them.

Module Leader, Program Leader, Principal Investigator

Some issues with the (un)balanced distribution of responsibilities can be managed informally, within teaching and research teams. This is often preferable to taking more formal steps to address concerns – at least in the first instance.  Be honest with your colleagues if you are struggling to get work done in the time allocated, or if you feel like the workload distribution is unfair. It is important for them to consider making reasonable accommodations so that you can complete the work to a good standard whilst remaining well.

Line Manager/Head of Subject/Head of Department

If adjustments and accommodations are not forthcoming and the workload allocated feels unreasonable, it may be worth raising this formally, within your department. If the work relates to a grant, then your first point of formal contact will likely be the Principal Investigator of Co-Investigator on this grant, or your line manager (if different). If the work relates to teaching or research that is not grant funded, then you may wish to contact your line manager or those responsible for allocating workload hours (departmental administrator, head of department). If this still does not resolve the issue, you may wish to escalate it to your head of department, or to the Union.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Leads

EDI leads may be able to provide advice, guidance and advocacy within your department in cases where disproportionate workload burdens combine with protected characteristics.

Occupational Health

If issues are having effects on your wellbeing, occupational health may be able to recommend workload adjustments or provide evidence in support of temporary or longer-term changes that must be recognised by departmental managers.

Human Resources

Human Resources can provide clarification on contract details, working hours, overtime, and workload policy. They also oversee flexible working requests and formal grievance or mediation processes. In most cases, this route should only be pursued if the above options have been exhausted.

Trade Union

The trade union can provide confidential advice on worker rights and workload policies and guide you on how to make formal complaints. They can also support you in meetings with management.

Who you contact will depend upon who is perpetrating the violence/discrimination and the nature of the complaint. It is generally recommended that, where possible, you keep a detailed record of incidents that can be shared with managers on request. These records should ideally include dates, times, locations, people involved, precise wordings, the effects of those incidents, and any accompanying digital or physical evidence. They will be especially valuable in cases where you wish to make a formal complaint.

Many forms of bullying and harassment can be addressed informally – at least initially. This means that it does not involve the implementation of formal investigations and disciplinary measures. However, informal measures are not appropriate for any incidents where behaviour is severe, discriminatory, or persistent.

Informal Routes

Mentor/Trusted Colleagues

It can sometimes feel unclear as to whether the behaviours you are subject to constitute a form of misconduct. Speaking to a mentor (if you have one) or a trusted colleague can help you identify cases of misconduct and provide solidarity and emotional support.

Line Manager

If your line manager is not implicated in the violence/discrimination and you feel comfortable raising it with them, they will usually be your first formal port of call. They can offer advice and intervene informally, typically acting as a mediator between staff or raising the issue with the perpetrator’s line manager. You should be informed of who your information will be shared with and how, and you should be given the opportunity to authorise the measures that are implemented.

Head of Department

If your line manager is implicated in the violence/discrimination, it may be appropriate to raise the issue with your head of department. Like your line manager, they should be able to offer advice and intervene informally. You should again be informed of who your information will be shared with and how, and you should be given the opportunity to authorise the measures that are implemented.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Lead

If your experience intersects with a protected characteristic, your EDI lead may be able to provide advice and advocate on your behalf within the department.

Formal Routes

Trade Union

It is strongly recommended that you involve the trade union in any formal dispute. The union can provide confidential, independent advice and an evaluation of whether the behaviours in question constitute a breach in university policy or national law. They will work to represent you within meetings and formal processes and ensure that you are protected against procedural missteps. This is particularly important in cases where the incident involves an individual that manages you or who is a senior colleague, or in cases where you fear retaliatory actions.

Line Manager

If your line manager is not implicated in the violence/discrimination and you feel comfortable raising it with them, they can formally raise the issue within the department (typically involving the head of department. You should be informed of who your information will be shared with and how, and you should be given the opportunity to authorise the measures that are implemented.

Head of Department

If your line manager is implicated in the violence/discrimination, it may be appropriate to raise the issue with your head of department. They may decide to take formal disciplinary measures, via Human Resources. You should again be informed of who your information will be shared with and how, and you should be given the opportunity to authorise the measures that are implemented.

Human Resources

Most Human Resources teams offer a range of ways of reporting cases of misconduct. These usually include anonymous reporting mechanisms and formal reporting mechanisms. It should be noted that the priority of Human Resources teams is usually institutional risk, and not the experience of workers. It is recommended that you involve the union when formally raising any incidents. Human Resources may initiate an investigation into the alleged misconduct and implement mediation procedures in a first instance, or disciplinary procedures if the incident is serious or repeated, informal routes are unsafe, or if discrimination is linked to a protected characteristic.

Police

In serious situations where behaviour involves threats, assault, stalking or hate crime, it may be necessary to report these to the police.

Citizen’s Advice

Citizen’s Advice is an independent charity that offers advice on workplace discrimination issues. They can also advise on how to source free legal assistance. Find more information on their website at – www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS)

ACAS is an independent public body that provides free employment advice for workers and employers across the UK. They provide support services aimed at improving workplace conditions and resolving workplace disputes, including early mediation strategies. They have a hotline on 0300 123 1100 and extensive guidance on their website – www.acas.org.uk.

Research Integrity Officer/Research Governance Team

It is a legal requirement for UK universities to appoint named contacts for research integrity. They can provide confidential advice on whether an issue meets a threshold for misconduct, explain institutional procedures, and advise on how to raise concerns safely and proportionately. They can be helpful if you are concerned about the consequences of raising an issue.

UK Research Integrity Office

The UK Research Integrity Office offers confidential advice concerning potential breaches in research integrity but does not conduct formal investigations into academic practice. They can be contacted via their website at www.ukrio.org.uk.

Ethics Committee

The university’s ethics committee can advise on breaches of ethics approval, consent, or governance and amend ethics approval. They are better for providing non-punitive guidance in the early stages of emerging incidents.

Trade Union

If there are reputational or career risks in raising an issue, it is strongly recommended that you contact your trade union before taking further action. They can assist with confidential advice and representation and help ensure procedural fairness. If you are the accused party in a complaint, they can also offer guidance and support.

Line Manager/Head of Department

Departmental management routes are better for informal early interventions which may prevent later escalations of an issue.

Human Resources

When an issue may affect university reputation and involve disciplinary procedures, Human Resources may be involved.

University Whistleblowing (Public Interest Disclosure) Procedures

Universities maintain designated recipients for public interest disclosures (often these are whistleblowing officers, university secretaries, registrars, or directors of governance. Disclosures should be made in writing and be clearly marked as a ‘public interest disclosure’. They should include comprehensive information on what happened, when, why it matters, and provide evidence supporting the case. It is strongly advised that you do not make a disclosure to the university without first soliciting sound advice.

External Whistleblowing (Public Interest Disclosure) Procedures

If internal whistleblowing routes are deemed unsafe or inappropriate, it may be possible to disclose research integrity issues via external organisations. It is strongly recommended that you get legal advice before taking such actions. Relevant organisations may include:

1. Research Funders – these typically require research to be conducted ethically and rigorously. They may withdraw funding from researchers who breach their commitments or insist upon adjustments in practice;
2. Health and Safety Executive – responsible for enforcing workplace safety. Disclosure to the HSE may be appropriate if workplace practices present serious risks to staff, students, or research participants, if the buildings or working practices are unsafe, or if risks are known to your institution but are not being acted upon;
3. Social or Traditional Media – if you have exhausted all internal or prescribed routes, or if there is a danger of an imminent cover-up, it may be appropriate to disclose details of your situation to these outlets. This is a particularly risky strategy however and should not be taken without legal guidance.

Line Managers

Line managers have a responsibility to ensure that you have the resources you need to thrive but also have a duty to manage your performance. They may be able to offer forms of professional advice, too. They are your first point of contact for emerging issues that may affect your capacity to complete your contractual responsibilities.

Mentors/Trusted Peers

You should have ideally been assigned a mentor when joining your institution. If you haven’t, it is worth asking your line manager for one to be assigned and to confirm the arrangements for this (for example, scope of support, frequency of meetings, key milestones). If not, you may be able to source similar forms of support from trusted peers. Mentors are responsible for providing guidance. They have no responsibility for managing your performance, so may therefore feel safer to approach for general advice. Mentors can be useful for receiving guidance on departmental processes and requirements, career development, feedback on written materials (papers, job applications, grant proposals), advice on teaching, training, and student engagement, including any required teaching qualifications (e.g. AdvanceHE qualifications), and sharing examples of key materials such as grant applications, cover letters, CVs, and peer review documents.

Research Lead

Your department may have a Research Lead. They will likely be key in shaping research culture in the department and be able to offer advice on your research profile, relevant activities, and funding calls that you are eligible to apply for. Also look out for departmental and institutional events on different funding schemes and grant opportunities.

Teaching Lead

You will most likely be working with an Undergraduate Education Lead (or similar). They can be a great point of contact for understanding departmental practices and processes and can offer specific advice about engaging with the students you’ll be teaching.

Impact Lead

Impact (how your research travels and has influence beyond the academy) is increasingly important in terms of career building but can be quite difficult to navigate. You might consider contacting your Impact lead to discuss your research, potential avenues to impact, and whether there are impact related funding streams at your institution that you can apply for to develop this area of your work (where relevant).

Academic support beyond your institution

There are fantastic opportunities to engage with wider professional networks. These could be specific to your field (ask colleagues about this) or have a broader remit, such as learned societies (e.g. the Royal Geographical Society, Royal Society, or British Academy Early Career Network). Some research groups (e.g. within the RGS-IBG) offer their own early career, networking, and mentorship schemes. Membership of learned societies can involve fees so do speak to your line manager or mentor about whether there is funding to support this.

Note: You may wish to use your line managers and mentors in the following ways:

• Share your aspirations for future employment and your career with them. This can be helpful in tailoring the mentoring process and your ongoing work to align with your specific goals. It may be, for example, that you need to gain more teaching experience, or you might feel you need to develop a stronger publication strategy. Both should be able to help guide you in your decision making and to help you identify opportunities to meet your objectives.
• Ask about contract renewal and pathways to permanency from the outset. Don’t be afraid to do this. Clarity on this can help you to strategize and think about what you want to get out of your contract.
• Request guidance on promotion criteria. Even if you are not eligible on your contract, familiarising yourself with the criteria can be helpful for thinking through next steps.
• Ask what careers services and wider professional networks you might have access to.
• Ask your mentor and colleagues to share wider opportunities with you.
• Identify opportunities for feedback. This might include requesting peer supervision of your teaching, asking for feedback on drafts of papers or grant proposals and gaining insight in the formal review processes.
• Identify how to access training resources, inside and beyond the institution as well as keeping abreast of opportunities internal and external funding schemes.