The Government has announced that from the start of the 2026/27 academic year, eligible students in England with full access to the NHS Learning Support Fund will be able to receive advance payments towards placement-related travel and accommodation costs.

Pharmacy students can currently claim eligible travel and dual accommodation expenses for clinical placements, but do not have full access to the Learning Support Fund. They are not currently eligible for the new advance payment facility, although the Government has said 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.”

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