Upfront help cuts placement costs for healthcare students
From 2026/27, eligible healthcare students can get travel and accommodation costs upfront, easing financial pressure and supporting rural placements.
- Upfront cash help for nursing, midwifery, allied health and dental therapy / hygiene students’ placement costs, meeting commitment set out in the 10 Year Health Plan
- Students spared from paying excess placement travel and accommodation bills out of their own pockets as government works to help with cost of living
- Boost for rural and coastal placements where costs can be highest
Thousands of future nurses, midwives, allied health and dental professionals will receive upfront support with travel and accommodation costs for clinical placements under new plans to reduce the financial barriers to training.
From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, eligible 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. Under the current system, students must book and pay for travel and accommodation upfront often amounting to hundreds of pounds, then submit claims before being reimbursed. The new system will give students greater control over their finances while they complete their training.
While a new digital claims system introduced in January 2025 has already reduced processing times, students could still be left out of pocket while waiting for their claim to be processed. Advance payments will help ease those pressures by ensuring support is available.
It marks another step in the government’s work to ease cost-of-living pressures, putting money in students’ pockets sooner and helping them focus on training rather than bills.
The move will also make it easier for students to undertake placements in rural and coastal communities, where travel costs can be particularly high.
Health Minister, Alison McGovern said:
No student training to care for patients should be held back because they cannot afford the upfront cost of getting to a placement.
These advance payments will put money in students’ pockets before costs hit, easing pressure on budgets and helping NHS staff get the experience they need, whether that is in a city hospital or a remote coastal community.
This is another step in delivering our 10 Year Health Plan, backing students, breaking down barriers to training, and building the NHS workforce patients need for the future.
Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:
This is an important step in supporting the next generation of nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, and will be welcome news for the thousands of students working hard to develop the knowledge, skills and experience needed to care for patients.
We know travel and accommodation costs can put real pressure on students. By providing advance payments, we are removing a significant barrier to learning, helping students focus on their education and making it easier for them to access valuable placement opportunities.
The new advance payment facility, delivered with the NHS Business Services Authority, will give students 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. If the balance falls below £50, they will be able to request a top-up. Any outstanding float balance will be deducted from a student’s final training grant instalment.
By reducing the need to find money upfront, the government is helping students get the experience they need, wherever they are, supporting the future NHS workforce.
Louisa Denye, Head of NHS Student Services, said:
Giving eligible students the option to be paid for their travel and accommodation costs in advance builds on the improvements we’ve already made since introducing our digitised reimbursement journey last year, and is part of the NHSBSA’s ongoing commitment to modernise the way we support healthcare students financially throughout their studies.
Caitlin Greenlagh, a third year diagnostic radiography student at the University of Cumbria, said:
Travel and accommodation for placements can cost hundreds of pounds. It is a lot to find upfront when you’re already managing everyday living costs as a student.
Receiving this support in advance will take away a real financial worry and mean I can focus more on my learning and caring for patients. It will also make placements further from home, including in rural or coastal areas, feel much more accessible.
By supporting the future of our NHS, we are ensuring that staff have got the best exposure to learning and experience to prepare them for their roles.
Later this year, we will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan, which will further set out how we will ensure the NHS has the right people with the right skills to care for patients when they need it.
Gill Walton, the Royal College of Midwives’ Chief Executive, said:
Student midwives work incredibly hard to qualify for one of the most rewarding yet demanding jobs in the NHS. They shouldn’t be left out of pocket for it too. We’re delighted that the Government has listened to the RCM and our hard-working student midwives and acted on this.
This is something we’ve been calling for since our 2024 State of UK Midwifery Student Finance report. No student should be paying to travel to their placements, especially in rural and remote areas where costs are highest.
Our research found student midwives have concerns over graduate debt and financial hardship during training. This is a genuinely welcome step, but it must go hand in hand with guaranteeing these newly qualified midwives a job at the end of their course.
Susan Price, Chair, British Dietetic Association, said:
No student should have to choose between completing a placement and managing their finances. The BDA warmly welcomes these improvements to the Learning Support Fund, which will provide much needed support to dietetic students and reduce cash-flow pressures during placements.
The changes will be especially beneficial for students from less advantaged backgrounds, and those travelling longer distances to more rural and remote placements. By making placements more accessible, this development strengthens the pipeline of future dietitians and support continued growth of the profession.