NIHR brand: Guidance for NIHR ARC North East and North Cumbria researchers and staff
- NIHR refreshed its branding in April 2026.
- Changes include new logos, a new core font, updated brand colours and graphics, updated poster and PowerPoint templates.
- If you have any questions please email arcnenc@cntw.nhs.uk
Logos
- NIHR Applied Research Collaborations have been given one logo to use by all 11 ARCs. This logo replaces our previous logo.
- This new logo should be used on outputs delivered by or supported by NIHR ARC NENC or work delivered by more than one ARC.
- Use the colour/black version on white backgrounds, and white version on coloured backgrounds.
Cross-NIHR work
- Where work has involved more than one part of NIHR use the national NIHR logo.
Templates
Power point presentations
- NIHR have provided PowerPoint templates for use. There are two template options:
- NIHR ARC NENC template – for work delivered by ARC NENC
Download ARC NENC slide deck template
- NIHR template – for work involving more than one part of NIHR (including more than one ARC)
Download NIHR slide deck template
Poster template
- NIHR have provided a new poster template. The only option is portrait.
- If the template doesn’t fit your needs, and you would like support to develop an alternative style of poster, please email arcnenc@cntw.nhs.uk
Fonts
- Inclusive Sans is the new main body font – please use this if it is installed on your system.
- Where Inclusive Sans is unavailable, please use Arial.
- Lato font (the previous main NIHR font) is no longer used.
Font colours
- Only use black or navy on white background for body text in presentations and posters. This is to ensure accessibility.
Brand toolkit
- NIHR have provided a simplified brand toolkit for general use when designing materials.
- The toolkit contains icons, colours and other graphic elements that can be used on designs and in presentations.
- Alternatively, please email arcnenc@cntw.nhs.uk for support with designing materials.
- If you’ve designed something yourself, please email it to arcnenc@cntw.nhs.uk so we can check it meets brand guidelines, before you use it.
Other designed materials
- Our communications manager can offer support with the design of any other materials.
- This includes flyers, social media cards, research briefings and more.
- For information and support please email nicola.weatherburn@cntw.nhs.uk
Images and photography on posters and presentations
- Images need to reflect the reality of working in health and care research as well as the lives of the many communities, patients and people who use our services. Used correctly, photography can help us communicate the impact that our research and services have on people’s lives.
- Photography can be either commissioned or high quality stock. If you intend to use stock images in your presentation or poster, please avoid stock images that are clearly not taken in the UK, particularly where healthcare facilities and uniforms are very different to the NHS
- Please do not use AI-generated images in presentations, posters or other outputs.
You can find free stock images on the following websites:
Free Stock Photos, Royalty Free Stock Images & Copyright Free Pictures · Pexels
Beautiful Free Images & Pictures | Unsplash
Adobe Stock free trial – Get 10 Stock images free. | Adobe Stock (please select ‘free’ from the drop down box)
Age-positive image library | Centre for Ageing Better
If you’re unsure if an image is suitable, or would like any support to source images, please email nicola.weatherburn@cntw.nhs.uk
Digital wallpaper (for online meetings)
Please use the NIHR digital wallpaper when you are presenting NIHR-funded work online.
Acknowledging NIHR funding on research outputs
It is a condition of our funding that an accurate NIHR acknowledgment is included on all published research and other outputs.
- This includes reports, briefings, and research posters* as well as research published in journals.
- Our funding award number changed from 1 April 2026. Please use the correct statement for the period of time that the work relates to – as below.
For work started after 1 April 2026 (ARC 2)
This work (or named researcher) is/was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria (NENC). Award no: NIHR209625.
The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
For work conducted before 31 March 2026 (ARC 1)
This work (or named researcher) is/was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria (NENC). Award no: NIHR200173.
The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
*Research posters: It is acceptable to amend the text for limited space in research posters so that the main points are covered as follows:
Funded via the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Get in touch for support
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions about the NIHR brand, templates, or funding acknowledgments.