Key Summary
- The UK government announced that eligible healthcare students can get travel and accommodation costs upfront.
- As pharmacy students do not have full access to the Learning Support Fund they have been excluded from the advance payment facility.
- The Royal College of Pharmacy has urged the Government to consider extending inclusion to pharmacy students.
The Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm) has expressed concern that pharmacy students have not been included in the government’s new placement costs incentive for healthcare students.
From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, students with full access to the NHS Learning Support Fund will be able to receive advance payments for placement-related travel and accommodation costs.
The change will mean students no longer have to cover expenses themselves before claiming the money back. It will benefit nursing, midwifery, allied health and dental therapy/hygiene students.
Though pharmacy students can currently claim eligible travel and dual accommodation expenses for clinical placements, they do not have full access to the Learning Support Fund.
Hence, they are not currently eligible for the new advance payment facility, although the Government has assured that it intends to explore extending the facility to pharmacy students.
The Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm), alongside the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association and Pharmacy Schools Council, has previously called on the Government to extend full access to the Learning Support Fund to pharmacy students.
Professor Mahendra Patel, Chair of RCPharm’s English Pharmacy Advisory Council, said: “It is disappointing that pharmacy students still do not have full and equal access to the Learning Support Fund. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan recognised the need to grow the pharmacy workforce, and as pharmacists take on greater clinical and prescribing responsibilities, pharmacy students should have the same access to support as those training for other healthcare professions.
“Pharmacy students should not face unjust financial barriers at the very start of their careers. The Government should now build on the progress made so far and ensure pharmacy students have the support they need to train for the future NHS and deliver the care patients need.”
Under the new advance payment facility, delivered by the NHS Business Services Authority, students will get an upfront “float” to help cover costs before they arise.
Students will continue to submit claims as normal, with approved claims automatically deducted from their advance payment balance.
