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Running a prize draw in your research or evaluation

Guidance for Researchers: Running a prize draw in your research or evaluation

This guidance is for University of Oxford researchers and evaluators who plan to offer a prize draw as part of a survey, interview, or evaluation activity.

A prize draw is where participants have a chance to win a prize, selected at random from all valid entries. It is not the same as offering a voucher or payment to every participant.

 

Before you start: quick checklist

Before launching your prize draw, make sure you have:

  • Confirmed that a prize draw is appropriate for your project.
  • Checked with Finance whether prizes could be treated as a taxable benefit.
  • Included a clear privacy and data protection statement.
  • Written accessible Terms and Conditions (use the University template).
  • Stored contact details separately from research or evaluation data.
  • Noted who will run the draw, select the winner, and issue the prize.

Check whether ethics approval is needed

Prize draws linked to evaluations (not research studies) usually do not require formal ethics review. However, if your activity involves personal or sensitive data, or if participation is incentivised in a way that could influence consent, check with the Central University Research Ethics Committee

Check compliance with University policy

Before launching any draw, check with the department Finance team. They can confirm whether your proposed prize draw fits University policy and if tax implications need to be mentioned in your Terms and Conditions.

Legal requirements for prize draws

To stay compliant with UK law and University policy:

  • Free route to entry: participants must not pay to enter.
  • Transparency: state how and when the winner will be chosen.
  • Fairness: select winners at random and record the method used.
  • Public accountability: keep a record of the draw date, method, and communications with the winner.

 

Write clear and accessible Terms and Conditions (T&Cs)

You must provide Terms and Conditions for any prize draw.
You may use the approved Prize Draw Summary Template available on the intranet.

Your T&Cs should cover:

  • Eligibility (for example, UK residents aged 18+)
  • Prize details and value
  • Draw date and selection process
  • Notification and delivery method
  • Data protection and privacy
  • Organiser details
  • Tax statement
  • The organiser’s right to verify eligibility

Download the template: Prize Draw Summary Template

 

Data protection and privacy

Prize draws often require collecting participants’ contact details (for example, email addresses). These details must be stored separately from any research or evaluation data, so that prize administration does not compromise confidentiality.

Include a clear privacy statement explaining how you will handle this information.

Example:

Your contact details are collected only to administer the prize draw and stored separately from your survey responses. We will delete this information once the prize has been awarded.

For help with privacy wording or data storage, contact:
Information Governance (IG) Team

Inform participants about possible tax implications

Add a short note in your T&Cs and survey text to ensure transparency.

For example:

This prize may be treated as a taxable benefit depending on your personal circumstances. You are responsible for any tax that may apply.

If you are unsure, contact the Departmental Finance Team on finance@phc.ox.ac.uk   

 

Write appropriate participant wording

Use clear, plain English. You should include short statements at both the start and end of your survey or activity invitation.

Example wording

At the start of the survey:

As a thank you for completing this survey, you will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher.
The winner will be selected at random and notified by email within 5 working days of the draw.
Your contact details are collected only to administer the prize draw and stored separately from your survey responses.
See our [full Terms and Conditions] for details.

At the end of the survey:

Thank you for completing this survey. You have been entered into a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher.
Winners will be selected on [insert date] and notified by email within 5 working days.
See our [full Terms and Conditions] for details.

 

Record keeping and transparency

Keep a simple record of:

  • The date and method of the draw.
  • The T&Cs used.
  • How the winner was selected and notified.
  • When and how the prize was distributed.

This helps demonstrate transparency and compliance if questions arise later.

 

Need help?

For advice on prize draws or incentives in research and evaluation: