The indirect cost charge (ICC) is an overhead charged, managed and reviewed by the RMC (Resource Management Committee). It is levied on pay costs met from certain non-Chest sources of funds. The charge is intended to recognise and recover part of the central and local infrastructure costs of non-Chest funded activity. The following codes attract ICC:
Source of Funds
ECAA: Dual Funding Support Transfer
ECBA: Department Charity QR
EDAA: Departments Share of Research Overheads
GAAA: External Trading
EF00 to EYZZ: General Donations
EZ00 to EZZZ: Departments Share of Non-Direct Costs
(excluding EZZY: pooled labour)
H% Specific Donations
JU% Grants
Transaction Codes
A000 to DZZZ: Staff Costs
(excluding: BZZZ & CZZZ)
An overhead recovery target is applied at School (or non-School institution) level based on pay costs incurred during the year. This single, School-level target enables Schools, in coordination with Faculties and Departments, to determine exactly how the target will be achieved in any one year. For advice and guidance please contact your School (or equivalent) Finance Manager.
For 2022-23, the ICC target rate is 28% for all institutions, as agreed by RMC, with the following exceptions:
- Veterinary clinical teaching staff in the Veterinary School are ICC exempt.
- All NHS- funded teaching staff are ICC exempt.
- The ADC Theatre receives credit for utility costs paid directly which offsets the NSI 28% ICC levy.
- CISL (Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership) is ICC exempt, however an indirect cost contribution is made, based on the latest RAM cost attribution rates (per £k pay and non-pay expenditure and space m2).
- ICE (Institute of Continuing Education) is charged at 12%.
- CJBS (Cambridge Judge Business School) has a devolved fee income and operational support arrangement with the University. Their ICC support charge is based on fee income, not staff costs.
Trust Fund Overheads
Pay costs met from Trust Funds are not covered by the ICC scheme. For further information, please see the relevant section of the Financial Procedures manual (section 4.2).