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The Collective
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Paid research community

Your opinion shapes things that matter.

The Collective is our community of everyday people who help improve real products and services. No expertise needed. No commitment. Just your honest view and your time, and we pay you for it.

Paid by gift voucher, your choice

Delivered within a couple of days. No minimum payout. No points. No messing around, just vouchers, paid quickly.

  • Amazon gift vouchers
  • Love2Shop vouchers, 100+ high street brands
Surveys from £1
Sessions £27.50/hr minimum
Diary studies up to £125
£27.50/hrminimum for sessions
£125for longer studies
Zerocommitment required
Allbackgrounds welcome

You use things every day. Help make them better.

Organisations across healthcare, banking, government, and retail rely on real people to test what they build. The NHS needs to know if their booking system makes sense. Banks need to know if their app actually works. Device makers need people to try their technology before it reaches the market.

As a member of The Collective, you get invited to studies that match your background and interests. You pick the ones you want. We pay you when you are done.

Join for free

Matched to you

We only contact you for studies that fit your profile. No irrelevant emails, no spam.

Your data, protected

GDPR compliant. You can update your preferences or leave at any time.

Your voice, heard

Researchers read every word. Your contribution shapes real things used by real people. Why your voice matters →

Do you work in health, care or public services?

Some studies need professional expertise rather than lived experience: a policy lead who can say whether an intervention would survive implementation, a nurse who knows how a pathway actually runs, a board member who has seen this tried before. That work sits on our Professional Panel, and it is paid at professional rates: from £75 an hour, rising to £350 for GPs, consultants and dentists.

About the Professional Panel

Public health, NHS, clinical and public sector

Policy and communications roles, clinicians and health professionals, NHS leadership and governance, and the wider public sector, social care and VCSE.

£75 to £350 an hour

By field and level: £75 to £200 across public health, NHS management and the wider public sector, and £100 to £350 for clinicians. Paid by bank transfer or voucher, with preparation time inside the fee.

What you get out of it

There is plenty in it for you beyond making a difference.

Amazon vouchers, straight to your inbox

Every session pays an Amazon voucher by email within a few days. We always confirm the amount before you agree to anything.

Fit it around your life

Accept or decline each invitation as it suits you. Remote options mean you can take part from home, on your schedule.

Help shape healthcare

Improve NHS services, health apps, and medical devices that people depend on every day. Your lived experience matters more than any expert opinion.

Try things before anyone else

Get early access to products and prototypes before they launch. You will often see what is coming next.

Represent real people

Design decisions get made with or without you. Join The Collective and make sure someone like you has a say.

Part of something bigger

You will join a growing community of people across the UK who believe real voices lead to better design.

Amazon vouchers for your time

Every study pays differently depending on how long it takes and what it involves. We always tell you the payment before you commit. There are no hidden conditions.

Vouchers arrive by email within a few days of completing your session, sent directly to the address on your account.

amazon⤵

Paid as Amazon gift vouchers by email. Spend on anything you like.

Instant delivery
Love2Shop Or choose Love2Shop gift vouchers. Accepted at hundreds of UK shops, restaurants, and online retailers.
Your choice
Study typeTypical lengthPayment
Online survey5 to 15 mins£1 to £15
Telephone interview30 to 60 mins£14 to £27.50
Remote video session60 mins£27.50 to £50
In-person session60 to 120 mins£27.50 to £60
Focus group60 to 120 mins£27.50 to £50
Device or product testing60 to 120 mins£27.50 to £80
Diary studySeveral days to weeks£60 to £125

We pay a minimum of £27.50 per hour for all session-based research. Surveys are priced separately. You will always be told the payment before agreeing to take part. Paid as Amazon or Love2Shop gift vouchers, your choice.

Simple from start to finish

The whole thing takes about five minutes to set up, and we take it from there.

01

Sign up for free

Create your profile and tell us a bit about yourself. Takes five minutes and you can update it any time.

02

Receive invitations

When a study matches your profile, we email you. No match, no email. You will always know the topic and payment upfront.

03

Accept or decline

No pressure either way. If you are in, we sort the details. Remote or in-person, it is always straightforward.

04

Get your voucher

Your Amazon voucher arrives by email within a few days of completing the session. No chasing, no waiting around.

Something for everyone

From a 10-minute survey to an in-depth diary study, you choose what suits you.

Remote sessions

Video call from home

In person

Face to face, UK locations

Diary studies

Share experiences over days or weeks

Surveys

Quick, 5 to 15 minutes

Focus groups

Small group discussions

Usability testing

Try apps, websites or prototypes

Interviews

One to one conversations

Device testing

Health tech and medical devices

Real research. Real organisations. Real impact.

The research you take part in covers things that affect everyone's lives.

Healthcare & NHS
Apps, devices, services
Banking & fintech
Apps, journeys, products
Government services
Councils, HMRC, DVLA
Retail & shopping
Websites, apps, stores
Consumer technology
Devices, wearables, apps
Transport & travel
Rail, EV, journey planning
See what the research really looks like →

What members say

I have done three sessions now. A survey, a video call about a banking app, and a focus group on NHS services. Each one was interesting and the vouchers came through quickly.

SJ
Sarah J.
Retired nurse, Leeds

I liked that they actually wanted to hear from someone like me. I am not particularly technical but they said that was the point. Very relaxed, no pressure at all.

MP
Marcus P.
Delivery driver, Bradford

As a full-time carer I appreciated the remote options. I did a diary study from home over two weeks. Easy to fit in and it genuinely felt worthwhile.

AK
Amara K.
Full-time carer, Wakefield

Research works better when it reflects real life

Most research panels skew toward younger, digitally active, urban people. That means a lot of decisions get made without input from people whose lives look different.

We actively recruit people who are often left out: older adults, people in rural areas, people with disabilities, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and anyone whose experience is not well represented elsewhere.

Why your voice matters
People over 60

Underrepresented in most panels, but heavy users of services that desperately need your input.

People with disabilities or long-term conditions

Your experience of services is not a niche interest. It is essential information that rarely gets collected.

People outside major cities

Most research happens in London. If you live anywhere else, your experience of the same services can be entirely different.

Anything you are wondering

Do you run focus groups near me?
We run focus groups remotely via video call, so you can take part from anywhere in the UK. We also run in-person focus groups at venues across the UK. When you join, we use your location to match you to nearby in-person opportunities alongside remote ones you can join from home.
Can I take part if I have a disability or long-term condition?
Absolutely, and we actively want to hear from you. A lot of the research we run is specifically designed to include people with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or access needs. When you sign up, you can tell us about any conditions or needs so we can match you to relevant studies and flag any accessibility requirements to the research team in advance.
Is The Collective open to people from all backgrounds and ethnicities?
Yes. The Collective is open to everyone, and we actively recruit across all ethnicities, ages, occupations, and lived experiences. Good research reflects the real world, and the researchers we work with need participants who represent the full range of people who use their products and services. Whoever you are, your perspective has value here.
Do I have to take part in every study I am invited to?
Absolutely not. Every invitation is just that, an invitation. You can accept, decline, or ignore it. There are no minimums and no consequences either way.
How do payments work?
We pay Amazon gift vouchers, sent to your registered email within a few days of completing your session. We always confirm the amount before you agree to take part. No hidden conditions, no lengthy waits.
What kinds of things will I be asked about?
It varies a lot. You might test a new NHS booking system one month and a savings app the next. We work across healthcare, fintech, e-commerce, public services, and more. Your profile helps us match you to things that are relevant to you.
I am not technical. Is that a problem?
That is not just fine, it is often what we are looking for. Most research needs real everyday people, not experts. If you have ever been confused by a website or struggled with a form, that is exactly the kind of experience researchers need to hear about.
What happens to my personal information?
Your details are held securely by Participation Studio and used only to match you to relevant research. We never sell your data and we never share identifiable information with clients. You can update or close your account at any time. Full details are in our privacy policy.
Can I leave The Collective?
Yes, whenever you like. Log in to your dashboard and close your account, or drop us an email and we will sort it. No questions asked.

Ready to be part of it?

Sign up takes five minutes. We will be in touch when something that suits you comes up.

Join The Collective, it is free

No commitment · Paid by Amazon or Love2Shop voucher · Leave any time · GDPR compliant

Paid research in your area

We run remote studies UK-wide and in-person sessions across the country. Find out what is available where you are.

All UK paid research Paid focus groups UK Leeds Manchester London Yorkshire Birmingham Sheffield

Running a study and need participants? We recruit and schedule for NHS, university, public sector and product teams. See how recruitment works