What we spend and how we spend it

This section focuses on financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts, and financial audit.

The University's financial year runs for a 12-month period from 1 August to 31 July.

Sources of University funding and income

Our annual financial statements summarise our income and expenditure for each financial year. Statements include information about the University's expenditure including staff costs, pension costs, other operating expenses, investments, and reserves, as well as a report from the external auditors. The auditors have a statutory duty to examine and give an opinion on the University's annual financial statement and assess the overall use of public resources.

We publish financial statements annually, usually in December.

This  brief guide written for students explains where the University's income comes from and how is it is spent.

HESA publishes data on all aspects of the UK higher education sector. This includes information about the Income, expenditure, and financial statements of the University and other HE providers.

We publish a list of investments (PDF) in both overseas and UK companies. Our Ethical Investment Policy (PDF) applies to the full scope of the investments held by the University.

Details of expenditure over £25,000, including costs, supplier and transaction information may be available on request subject to FOI exemptions regarding commercial interests and confidentiality. To request expenditure, please contact the Legal & Governance team by email foi@liverpool.ac.uk.

Capital programme

Information about the University's capital programme is included in our Estate Strategy 2026+.

Progress on the University's capital programme is published in our financial statements. Financial statements are published annually, usually in December.

Financial regulations and procedures

Our current  Financial Regulations were approved by Council in July 2023. It applies to the University and its subsidiary or associated companies. 

Staff allowances and expenses

The University has the following policies relating to staff allowances and expenses:

  • Additional Responsibility, Acting Up & Secondment Policy
  • Expenses Policy
  • Market Supplements Policy
  • Pay Protection Scheme
  • Sick Pay Entitlements
  • Strategic Reward for Senior Staff Policy

To request a copy of any of the above policies, please contact the Legal & Governance team by email foi@liverpool.ac.uk

The University publishes details of expense submitted by and paid to the Vice-Chancellor and members of Senior Leadership Team

Staff pay and grading structures

The University has a  single pay spine and grade structure for academic and non-academic staff below senior staff grades. 

The University provides information about the salaries of staff earning over £100,000 per annum each year. These figures are published annually in our financial statements, usually in December.

Salary for the Vice-Chancellor is set by Remuneration Committee - part of the University’s Council, its governing body - which comprises independent external members of Council, who possess commercial and public sector pay knowledge and expertise. The Vice-Chancellor is not a member of the committee. She is invited to attend the Ccommittee’s meeting to advise the committee on agenda items that do not relate to her own performance, salary, or other potential benefits.  

Details of the Vice-Chancellor’s pay and benefits are published in our annual financial statements

The Vice-Chancellor does not have a company car or chauffeur for their sole use. The Vice-Chancellor has access to a pool car alongside other members of the Senior Leadership Team. 

We publish a Statutory Gender Pay Gap Report, as required by the Equality Act 2010. The report also includes the Ethnicity Pay Gap, People of Colour Pay Gap, Disability Pay Gap, and Sexual Orientation Pay Gap using the same calculation methodology and data sample. 

Information on the ratio between the highest paid salary and the median average salary of our employees may be available on written request subject to relevant exemptions. Please contact the Legal & Governance team by email foi@liverpool.ac.uk

Register of suppliers

The University supplier database includes organisations with formal agreements as well as others with which the University has previously, or is currently, engaged in business. This information is not publicly available. To request information contained in the register, please contact the Legal & Governance team by email foi@liverpool.ac.uk

Procurement and tender procedures

An overview of the University's procurement procedures is available on the supplier’s section of the Procurement website. This includes a copy of the General Terms and Conditions of Purchase to which the University adheres, supplier codes of conduct and our e-tendering system.

View a list of current tenders/contracts/quotations on our e-tendering website. You can also view information on contracts that have already been awarded.

Contracts

Information regarding the University’s major contracts may be available on request subject to FOI exemptions regarding commercial interests, confidentiality, and future publication. This information may be requested from the Legal & Governance team by email foi@liverpool.ac.uk.

Research funding

High level information about research funding is included in the annual financial statements, usually in December.

University income from research grants and contracts is publicly available from HESA.

Other information on research funding may be available on request subject to FOI exemptions regarding commercial interests, confidentiality, and future publication. To request information, please contact the Legal & Governance team by email foi@liverpool.ac.uk

Page updated: 28 February 2024

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