Understanding Open Access

Open Access publishing is a compulsory requirement in the UK for both the REF research assessment process and also for many external research funding bodies.

The current REF Open Access Policy requires all journal articles and published conference proceedings to be made available in the London Met Repository on Open Access with the following specific conditions:

• The publication must be added to the Repository within three months of the date of acceptance.
• The publication must be made available on Open Access in the Repository with a maximum delay of 12 months (REF Panels A and B) or 24 months (REF Panels B and C) after publication.
• The Accepted Manuscript (final version after peer review and corrections) or Version of Record must added to the Repository.

Most journal publishers operate author sharing and re-use policies that enable compliance with the REF policy and the situation for specific journals can be checked on the Sherpa service. Failure to adhere to this policy for any specific journal article or conference paper may make the publication inadmissible as a research output in the next REF process.

The current REF Open Access policy is due to be updated shortly, affecting publications from early 2026 onwards. The expected extension of the policy to cover books and monographs ('longform outputs') has now been delayed until 2029. This section will be updated once the revised policy has been published externally. 

In addition to the REF requirements outlined above, research publications produced with external grant funding are usually subject to the relevant funding body’s Open Access policy. These policies generally require journal articles to be made available on Open Access immediately with no delay/embargo and also require publications to carry a Creative Commons licence. Some policies also now cover book publications and supporting research data.

Funders with compulsory Open Access requirements for funded research include:

• UKRI/Research Councils/Research England
• British Heart Foundation
• Cancer Research UK
• NIHR
• Wellcome Trust

Funder Open Access policies can be checked using the Sherpa service. It is advisable to verify you can meet the funder’s requirements for Open Access, including payment of Article Processing Charges or Book Processing Charges where necessary, before making an application.