Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial support is offered to nursing students.

From 1 August 2017, new pre-registration nursing, midwifery and allied health students will no longer receive National Health Service bursaries. Instead, they will have access to the same student loans system as other students.

Students studying for pre-registration level nursing, midwifery and the allied health subjects as a second degree will also be able to access the student loans system.

Under the loans system, students on pre-registration nursing, midwifery and allied health courses will receive around a 25% increase in the financial support available to them for living costs whilst at university. The precise change for individuals will be dependent on their circumstances – for example, where they study, the length of the course, income and residency.

The Government has already committed to additional funding to help support new pre-registration healthcare students. These include child dependents allowance, placement travel and accommodation expenses and hardship funding for exceptional cases. This funding will be non-repayable and is in addition to the standard student support package.