Examples of Impact

A great place to look for examples of impact are the Impact Case Study databases for REF2021 and REF2014. Below is a list of potential forms of impact which have been reported as part of previous REF exercises.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, but to give an idea of what is meant by ‘impact’ or ‘public benefit’ in practical terms.

Economic prosperity:

  • Business performance measures, for example, sales, turnover, profits or employment associated with new or improved products, processes or services.
  • Licences awarded and brought to market.
  • Jobs created or protected.
  • Investment funding raised from UK and/or non-UK agencies (venture capital/Business Angel, and so on) for start-up businesses and new activities of existing businesses.
  • Evidence of critical impact on particular projects, products and processes confirmed by independent authoritative evidence, which should be financial where possible.
  • Priority shifts in expenditure profiles or quantifiable reallocation of corporate, non-profit or public budgets.

Policy:

  • Documented evidence of policy debate (for example, in Parliament, the media, material produced by NGOs).
  • Documented evidence of changes to public policy/legislation/regulations/guidelines.
  • Measures of improved public services, including, where appropriate, quantitative information; such information may relate for example to the quality, accessibility or cost-effectiveness of public services.
  • Documented evidence of changes to international development policies.

Public services:

  • Measures of improved international welfare or inclusion.
  • Effect on the quality, accessibility, cost-effectiveness or efficiency of services.
  • Impact on democratic participation.
  • Influencing the work of NGOs or commercial organisations.
  • Improved public understanding of social issues.

Quality of life:

  • Measures of improved patient outcomes, public health or health services.
  • Public health and well-being has improved.
  • Animal health and welfare has been enhanced by research.
  • Care and educational practices have changed.
  • Clinical, dietary or healthcare guidelines have changed.
  • Healthcare training guidelines have changed.
  • Decisions by a health service or regulatory authority have been informed by research.
  • Public awareness of a health risk or benefit has been raised.
  • Public engagement/involvement in research has improved.
  • Public behaviour has changed.
  • The user experience has improved.
  • Documented changes to clinical guidelines.
  • Evidence of take-up and use of new or improved products and processes that improve quality of life in developing countries.
  • Traceable impacts on particular projects or processes which bring environmental benefits.
  • Evidence of generic environmental impact across a sector, confirmed by independent authoritative evidence.
  • Documented case-specific improvements to environment-related issues.

When embedding impact into your research journey, it is important to collect appropriate evidence. For any queries about your research impact work, contact our team.