The new UKRI Open Access policy introduces several changes to the previous RCUK policy. It will apply to research articles submitted on or after April 1st, 2022 and long-form publications from January 1st, 2024 onwards. For research articles, it no longer allows or funds publication in hybrid journals unless they are part of a transitional agreement, requires the accepted manuscript be made openly available under a CC BY license with no embargoes, and that all articles include a data access statement. It also expands the scope and requirements compared to the previous policy.

1. The New UKRI Open Access Policy
(Overview of changes)
Summary
New UKRI Open Access Policy published 6th August 2021.
The following highlights the changes from existing policy,
not the full detail of policy requirements.
Links to full policy and additional information are included
in final page.
Note – this is not the Open Access policy for the next REF.
Please direct questions to James Bisset and Sarah Hyland at
openaccess.publishing@durham.ac.uk

2. What does it apply to?
Peer-reviewed research articles submitted
on or after 1st April 2022, including:
- research articles
- reviews
- conference papers
… published in a journal or conference
proceeding with an ISSN, or on a publishing
platform.
Monographs, book chapters and edited
collections* published on or after 1st
January 2024.
* As defined in Annex 1 of the policy.

3. What requirements have changed for research articles?
Gold Open Access:
UKRI will no longer fund APCs in hybrid journals, unless they are
part of a transitional OA agreement.
Green Open Access:
The Accepted Manuscript must be available under a CC BY (or
other permitted)* licence.
No embargo on access allowed.
BBSRC funded research now must also be archived in Europe
PMC.
Author must include a ‘rights retention’ statement at point of
submission to journal.ⱡ
All Articles
Must include a Data Access Statement. This must now be included
even where there is no data associated with the article.
* OGL can be used if subject to Crown Copyright. CC BY-ND may be approved on a case-by-case basis (details of request process due October 2021)
ⱡ Text to be included in funding acknowledgement and covering letter/note, notifying publisher the author is required to apply a CC BY * licence to their author accepted manuscript.

4. Current RCUK Policy New UKRI Policy
Scope: Date Articles submitted for publication on or after 1st April
2013 and before 1st April 2022.
Articles submitted for publication on or after 1st April
2022.
Scope: Type Journal Articles & Conference Proceedings (excluding
commissioned review articles).
Journal Articles & Conference Proceedings
(including commissioned & invited review articles).
Routes to compliance Gold or Green, preference for Gold.
Hybrid Gold allowed and costs supported from RCUK
block grant.
Gold or Green.
Hybrid Gold allowed, but costs no longer supported.
Gold Open Access
Licencing
CC BY only. CC BY preferred and expected.
OGL allowed where applicable
CC BY-ND on a case-by-case, request permission basis.
Green Open Access Maximum embargo of 6/12/24 months.
No licence prescribed, but CC BY-NC-ND was not
compliant.
No embargo allowed.
CC BY preferred.
CC BY-ND on a case-by-case, request permission basis.
Europe PMC Deposit Required by MRC, Recommended for BBSRC. Required by MRC and BBSRC.
Data Statement Required where applicable. Required for all articles, including where no data.
Publication costs (e.g.
page charges in journals
such as MNRAS, JBC)
Page charges etc. could be covered from block grant
at institution’s discretion, as long as article met open
access requirements.
Page charges not explicitly covered.
Expect update and clarification in November 2021 as
to how funding can be used from OA block grant.
Comparison of changes for research articles

5. What are the requirements for long-form publications?
For publications published on or after 1st January 2024.
The final Version of Record or the Author’s Accepted
Manuscript must be open access no later than 12 months
from publication.
The version which is open access must be available under
a CC BY (or other permitted)* licence.
Some exemptions may apply, including:
• The only appropriate publisher cannot offer an open access
option. ⱡ
• The publication is the outcome of a UKRI Training Grant.
• The inclusion of third party copyrighted material (e.g.
images).
• ‘Trade Books’ are only in scope where they are the only
output from UKRI-funded research.
* OGL can be used if subject to Crown Copyright. CC BY-ND may be approved on a case-by-case basis (details of request process is due October 2021)
ⱡ Use of this exemption will require liaison with UKRI and due consideration (details of how this will work are due in 2022).

6. Further Reading
Current RCUK Open Access Policy
New UKRI Open Access Policy
UKRI: Explanation of changes
Durham University: Open Research Guide
Further Information Expected
Guidance on process for managing research article ND licence
exceptions (October 2021).
Guidance on managing exceptions for long-form outputs (2022)
Details on block grant funding (By December 2021).
Terms and Conditions for funding Research Articles and Long-
form publications (November 2021 and 2022 respectively).
Questions to openaccess.publishing@durham.ac.uk