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A petition has been launched calling on the UK government to extend the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) to fully include pharmacy students, stating that current support does not reflect the costs associated with their training.
The petition, which has a deadline of 2 June 2026, states that MPharm students complete mandatory NHS placements but are excluded from many elements of the LSF.
It also asks the government to fully include pharmacy students “to ensure fairness and encourage entry into the NHS”.
Under current rules, eligible undergraduate pharmacy students in England can claim reimbursement for placement-related costs through the travel and dual accommodation expenses (TDAE) element of the fund. This covers travel between accommodation and placement sites, as well as temporary accommodation where required.
However, pharmacy students are not eligible for other LSF allowances available to other eligible healthcare students, which include a non-means tested training grant of £5,000 per academic year, a £1,000 specialist subject payment for certain courses — including mental health nursing, podiatry and radiography — parental support of £2,000 per year for eligible students with children and access to the exceptional support fund for those facing “unforeseen and unexpected” financial hardship.
The petition argues that access to travel reimbursement alone does not address wider financial pressures.
“While pharmacy students now have access to the NHS travel reimbursement fund, we believe this does not address the wider financial struggles they face. The MPharm degree is highly intensive and can leave little time for paid work,” the petition says.
The inclusion of pharmacists in the scheme followed calls from organisations in June 2025 — including the Pharmacists’ Defence Association, Royal Pharmaceutical Society and British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association — for pharmacy students to be given access to financial support during placements.
At the time, student representatives said the inclusion would help reduce the financial burden of attending placements, particularly where travel or accommodation was required.
The petition notes that extending support could “help reduce hardship, support wellbeing and ensure students can focus on becoming the next generation of NHS pharmacists”.
Zeenat Akmal, a fourth-year pharmacy student at Kingston University and creator of the petition, told The Pharmaceutical Journal: “Pharmacy students are essential to the delivery of modern NHS care, yet are not afforded the same financial support as other healthcare students. This disparity is increasingly difficult to justify — extending the NHS LSF is a necessary step to recognise our role and secure the future pharmacy workforce.”
In a statement to The Pharmaceutical Journal, the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association said: “In recent years, the MPharm degree has undergone substantial change. There is now a greater emphasis on clinical placements, with students required to undertake longer and more frequent placements across a number of settings. Many students are expected to travel a considerable distance without reimbursement.
“Whilst pharmacy students now have access to the travel and dual accommodation expenses portion of the scheme, they are still unable to access the full range of benefits that the fund provides. It would also give students the flexibility to engage with internships, conferences, and wider professional development opportunities that will in turn enhance their clinical and transferable skills.
“As an association, we believe full inclusion in the LSF is imperative in providing equitable support for MPharm students. Access to training grants, parenteral support, and the exceptional support fund would help ease financial pressures that impact thousands of students across Great Britain. As the clinical and prescribing responsibilities of pharmacists continues to grow, it is only fair that the available support to students reflects these changes.”
Tase Oputu, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS’s) England Pharmacy Board, said: “The RPS has consistently called for pharmacy students to have equitable access to the LSF. Fully including them would help remove financial barriers, support student wellbeing and promote greater equity with other healthcare professionals.
“It would also support efforts to attract and retain a diverse future pharmacy workforce, which is essential to meet growing demand for pharmacists across the NHS,” she added.
If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, it will receive a response from the government and, if it receives 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
