From 1 August 2026, pricing for the University’s Research Data Storage service will change due to rising demand for storage.
The new annual charges will be:
| Storage type | Current price | New price (from 1 Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Performance Storage (Single-copy) | £50 per TB per year | £70 per TB per year |
| Enhanced Protection Storage (Dual-Copy) | £100 per TB per year | £140 per TB per year |
Full details about each storage type are available in the Information about Research Data Storage Service Provision Knowledge Base article.
What this means for researchers
Research Storage is normally costed into grants at the proposal stage and charged upfront once the storage is provisioned. Because of this, the timing of your grant and storage request determines which pricing applies.
If you already have storage provisioned and paid for
The price agreed when the storage was provisioned will remain in place. There are no retroactive price changes.
If you already have a grant but have not yet requested storage
You can still obtain storage at the current pricing if the request is made on or before 31st July 2026.
Requests made on or after 1st August 2026 will be charged at the new pricing.
If you have already submitted a grant proposal but it has not yet been awarded
If the grant is awarded after 1st August 2026 and you request storage at that time, the new pricing will apply. This may mean the allocated budget purchases up to 40% less capacity than originally planned, depending on how storage was costed in the proposal.
If you are concerned that this change may impact your project, Research IT can provide advice on data management approaches and workflows that may help reduce storage requirements. In many cases, reviewing how data is organised, processed, or retained can significantly reduce the amount of storage required without affecting research outcomes. Please contact Research IT if you would like guidance.
If you are currently preparing a grant proposal
You should cost Research Storage using the new pricing to ensure the requested budget reflects the charges that will apply when storage is provisioned.
Does this affect the free Research Storage?
No. You can continue to use the free 1TB of Research Storage at no cost. Additional free storage can be requested, but requires pre-approval by the Faculty/School manager.
Source of truth and further information
Full details of the service and current pricing are maintained in the Knowledge Base article: Information about Research Data Storage Service Provision
Researchers are strongly advised to consult the Knowledge Base article when planning storage requirements or costs, as it is the authoritative and most up-to-date source of information. If any information in this news post differs from the Knowledge Base article, the KBA should be considered correct.
This news post was published in March 2026 to communicate pricing changes that take effect in the 2026–27 Financial Year (from 1st August 2026). If you are reading this in a later financial year, please check the Knowledge Base article to ensure the information is still current.
Cover Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash
