The Department of Health and Social Care has given the next generation of NHS professionals a boost as it announces more financial support for healthcare studies this academic year.
Under new measures, eligible students on nursing, midwifery, medical, dental and allied health professional courses will be able to claim 50% more for travel accommodation expenses.
This includes journeys undertaken as part of training, meaning a student who travels 1,000 miles via car or motorcycle will be entitled to £420, for example – £140 more than that received under previous rates.
The 50% increase, which comes into effect as of today, breaks down as:
- An extra 10p per mile for those travelling on their own bicycle; it was previously 20p per mile
- From 28p, a jump to 42p per mile for students travelling in their own care
- Commercial accommodation (hotels, bed and breakfasts etc.) allowance being increased from £55 per night to £82.50
- Non-commercial accommodation (i.e., staying with a friend or relative but not a parent) up to £37.50 per night from £25
The government has also raised the means-testing threshold for the NHS bursary scheme from £24,279 to £26,076.
This is the amount of money a student’s parents or partner can earn before it becomes deductible from the bursary, essentially providing financial support to more people from low-income families.
The bursary scheme changes also mean that medical students will be given more childcare allowance to align more with the rates for earlier years of study provided by the Department for Education.
Health minister, Will Quince, said: “Working in the NHS is incredibly rewarding and we want to ensure a diverse range of students can pursue a career in nursing, midwifery or medicine.”
He continued: “We have therefore listened to students’ concerns and are taking action to ensure they are appropriately reimbursed for any additional costs of travelling for clinical placements, as well as boosting means tested and childcare support for medical students.”
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