Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department is providing to occupational therapists who did not receive an NHS Bursary.

In 2017, healthcare students were moved onto the standard student finance system. Students were eligible for tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and further grants and support. This allowed them to access more living costs support whilst studying compared to the previous system. Repayments are unlike commercial loans, with built-in unique protections for borrowers.

Since 2020, eligible healthcare students have had access to non-repayable grants worth £5,000 per academic year. Students can also access a further £1,000 for certain specialist subjects, £2,000 for childcare, plus additional funding for travel and accommodation costs, as well as access to a hardship fund.