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For persons with disabilities, independent living is not simply a question of health or technology. It depends on accessible services, appropriate care, supportive communities and the ability to make choices about everyday life. The Horizon Europe topic HORIZON-HLTH-2027-01-STAYHLTH-01: “Addressing disabilities through the life course to support independent living and inclusion” takes this broad perspective. With a total budget of €39.3 million, the Research and Innovation Action (RIA) is expected to fund around five projects with €6 to €8 million each.

Following the recently published official Horizon Europe Cluster 1 Health Work Programme 2026-2027 , applicants should plan for the 17 February 2027 single-stage deadline. Below, we outline the main requirements from the call topic and how to address those in the proposal.

1. Independent living requires more than a technological solution

The call is explicitly human-centred and focuses on people with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory disabilities and on supporting independent living throughout the life course. The expected outcomes combine empowerment and inclusion with scientific innovation and better evidence for policymakers, health and care services, disability organisations and other relevant actors.

This breadth matters when designing a proposal. The EC is not simply looking for a new assistive device, digital application or clinical intervention. Projects should explore how barriers to independent living can be reduced in real-life contexts and how people can be supported in moving from institutional settings towards community living.

A convincing proposal should therefore connect the proposed research or innovation with the wider environment in which people live. This can include personal assistance, medical and social care, family support, accessible environments, community services and assistive technologies.

Tip: Do not make the technology or clinical intervention the starting point of your impact story. Start with the barriers experienced by persons with disabilities, then show why your proposed solution, service or care model can remove or reduce them.

2. At least three research areas must come together

One of the most important requirements in HORIZON-HLTH-2027-01-STAYHLTH-01 is that research actions must address at least three areas defined in the scope. These cover a wide spectrum:

• Health conditions leading to or associated with disabilities, including innovative diagnostic, therapeutic, technological or low-tech solutions;
• Children with disabilities, young people transitioning to adulthood and/or older persons;
• Access to habilitation and rehabilitation, including psychological rehabilitation and assistive technologies;
• Prevention of disabilities across the life course, considering relevant health, behavioural and socio-economic factors;
• Successful transitions from institutions to community living, including services, resources, monitoring and support for decision-making;
• Innovative person-centred care models and strategies that support autonomy, self-care and different care choices.

Tip: Build one intervention logic connecting your chosen areas. For example, rehabilitation technology, community-based service provision and the transition to adulthood could form one integrated pathway rather than three parallel work packages.

3. Co-creation with persons with disabilities is central

The call text states that persons with disabilities should be involved through their representative organisations as actors in the research process. Families, carers, service providers, policymakers, public authorities and civil society organisations can also be involved.

Tip: Make participation traceable. Evaluators should be able to see exactly where input from persons with disabilities influences research decisions, from defining needs and designing interventions to selecting outcomes and evaluating results. Reflect this involvement in tasks, deliverables, person-months and budget rather than limiting it to consultation activities.

In this call topic, applicants need to connect high-quality health research with the practical conditions that enable persons with disabilities to exercise choice, remain in their communities and participate in society. The strongest starting point is therefore not to ask how an existing innovation can fit the call. Ask which barriers to independent living your consortium can credibly address, which combination of research areas is needed and how persons with disabilities will shape the research itself. With the deadline now set for 17 February 2027, these decisions should be made early.