The Government has announced changes to how student midwives are paid for placement travel and accommodation in England – a change the RCM has campaigned for since 2024. Here’s what it means for you.
Q: What’s actually changing?
A: From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, eligible students in England with full access to the NHS Learning Support Fund will get an advance payment to cover placement travel and accommodation costs. That means you won’t have to pay these costs yourself and claim them back afterwards.
Q: Why has this happened now?
A: The RCM raised this as a priority back in 2024, in our State of UK Midwifery Student Finance report. Prompt reimbursement of placement costs was one of four key asks and it’s good to see the Government listening.
Q: Why did the RCM push for this in the first place?
A: Our research found the financial pressure on student midwives is severe. Almost three-quarters of student midwives in England expect to graduate with more than £40,000 of debt and 91% of those surveyed know someone who had dropped out of their course because of financial hardship.
Gill Walton, RCM Chief Executive, explains: “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.”
Q: How will the new payment system actually work?
A: You’ll receive an upfront ‘float’ to cover costs before they arise. Depending on the type of placement costs expected, you could receive an advance float of £200 for travel expenses, £400 for dual accommodation or £600 for both travel and accommodation. You’ll still submit claims as normal, with approved amounts deducted from the float. If your balance drops below £50, you can request a top-up and anything left over comes off your final training grant instalment.
Q: Who will benefit most?
A: Students on rural and coastal placements are likely to see the biggest difference, since that’s where travel distances – and costs – tend to be highest.
Q: Is this the end of the RCM’s campaign on student finance?
A: No. Gill Walton is clear: “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.”
The RCM is continuing to press for a guaranteed job for every newly qualified midwife and for the same protection from out-of-pocket costs for students in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
