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Medical Leave and Welfare Support

UK Supreme Court Ruling on Gender Identity: Student Support

Please read the NWCDTP Statement of Support for our response to the UK Supreme Court ruling on gender identity in April 2025, as well as institutional guidance and further support services.

Medical Leave

Ensuring the welfare of our postgraduate researchers is at the heart of everything we do at the NWCDTP. We will do everything we can to support students who require a break from their PhD studies due to ill health or impairment. Through medical leave, we provide support for students with chronic or disability-related illnesses.

In 2025, medical leave was increased from 13 weeks paid sick leave within a 12-month period to 28 weeks paid sick leave within a 12-month period. This medical leave does not need to be taken in a single block. It is no longer a requirement to provide a medical certificate in order to request medical leave; however, your institution may still request a medical certificate or other medical evidence where this is deemed necessary.

Each institution has a different medical leave policy in place for their postgraduate research students. In the first instance, students should contact their relevant postgraduate office for advice and help with next steps:

Disability Support

If you identify as having a disability, you can receive support from the NWCDTP from the time you have accepted your offer – not just when you commence your studies. The term ‘disability’ is quite broad, and further definitions of what might be considered a ‘disability’ can be found under the Equality Act 2010.

If you feel this applies to you, then you can apply for a disability allowance (in addition to your stipend). In order to apply for this, you can contact nwcdtp@manchester.ac.uk.

In addition, if you wish to apply for funding to speak at a conference during your studies, you can request additional financial support if you have a carer, as well as other disability-related costs (such as a British Sign Language interpreter for d/Deaf students). Further details about all of our internal funding opportunities can be found on our Funding page.

If you have a disability or long-term physical or mental health condition, we encourage you to also reach out to your institution’s Disability Support Services to ensure any reasonable adjustments or accommodations are in place.

Support may include:

  • Adjustments to PhD supervision (for example, flexible meeting times/formats, deadline extensions, or alternative forms of feedback such as verbal, rather than written, communications).
  • Access provisions (for example, accessible office spaces with ramps and adjusted desk spaces or quiet rooms away from the busier areas of campus for recuperation)
  • Assistive technology or software (for example, screen reading software or specialist chairs, computers, keyboards, or other equipment).

Support contacts for each institution can be found below:

Emotional Wellbeing

Your emotional wellbeing is just as important as your physical wellbeing, and it is essential that you take the time to look after yourself during your PhD studies. Below, you can find links to each of our seven institutions’ counselling, mental health, and student support services:

Below are some further details of charities and organisations that offer free and flexible out-of-hours support beyond the academic institution:

  • Beat: supports those affected by eating disorders
  • Frank: provides facts, support, and advice on the use of alcohol and drugs
  • Greater Manchester Mental Health 24/7 Helpline: a free mental health crisis helpline for people of all ages
  • Mind: provides advice and support to anybody experiencing a mental health condition
  • NHS Emergency Prescriptions: a service to request a limited emergency supply of a medicine you have run out of
  • NHS Student Guide: offers advice for students about registering with a GP, finding a dentist, and locating sexual health services
  • Papyrus: promotes positive mental wellbeing and supports the prevention of suicide
  • Samaritans: provides support for those in emotional distress
  • SANEline: offers emotional support, guidance, and information to anyone affected by a mental health condition
  • Shout: a free text messaging mental health support service
  • Student Minds: the UK’s student mental health charity
  • Students Against Depression: offers advice, information, and guidance to those affected by low mood, depression, and suicidal thoughts

In an emergency situation, you should ring ‘999’ and request an ambulance, or you can visit your nearest Accident and Emergency department. If you are feeling unwell and have a less urgent health problem, you can ring the National Health Service (NHS) Advice Line on ‘111’ for free (twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week), or you can use their 111 online service.

If you would like further support from us, please do not hesitate to get in touch (nwcdtp@manchester.ac.uk). If you would like additional support or advice regarding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) issues within the NWCDTP, you are welcome to email our EDI Advocate, Dr Hannah Helm (h.j.helm@edu.salford.ac.uk), who is more than happy to have a chat over email or Teams.

North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership