NHS England announces funding uplifts for pharmacy trainees

NHS England has announced that the level of funding for each site employing a foundation trainee pharmacist starting in the 2026/27 training year (Summer and Autumn start windows) will increase to £28,196 per trainee. The previous funding level was £27,295.

The increased payments will come into effect from 1st September 2026 and will be made automatically to all eligible training sites, including back-dated payments to the start date of the trainee pharmacist. An uplift will also be applied to payments already made for trainees from the 2025/26 cohort, for the period 1st April 2026 to 31st August 2026. There is nothing additional that training sites need to do to receive the uplifted payment.

Additionally, NHS England has announced that the level of funding for each site employing a pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician as part of the Community Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship Programme starting in the 2026/27 financial year (Cohort 3) will increase to £15,769 per trainee. The previous funding level was £15,505.

The increased payments will come into effect from 1st September 2026 and will be made automatically to all eligible training sites, including back-dated payments to the start date of the apprentice. An uplift will also be applied to payments already made for apprentices from the 2025/26 cohort, for the period 1st April 2026 to completion. There is nothing additional that training sites need to do to receive the uplifted payment.