NHS Finance Insights 12-month paid placement

One NHS Finance / NHS; London; Hybrid; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job description

The NHS Finance Insights placement scheme offers paid work experience in NHS organisations throughout England to individuals aged 18 and above, who do not plan to attend university and come from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The scheme aims to attract diverse talent from local communities served by the NHS into the finance sector. It provides a 12-month experience in an entry-level (band 2) finance role, allowing candidates to develop new skills and gain on-the-job work experience. Upon completion of the placement, each candidate should feel well-prepared to apply for NHS opportunities, including apprenticeships or other entry-level roles, and be confident in transitioning to professional working environments.

Placements are available in each region of England starting in September 2025 and will provide:

• 12 months of on-the-job experience in an entry-level finance role.
• Experience working in an office and amongst clinical environments, with hybrid and flexible working patterns.
• Rotations through different departments within finance to gain exposure to various areas and projects.
• Opportunities to work with a wide range of diverse and talented people across the NHS.
• Insight into how the NHS operates as a business and how finance teams support services delivered to patients in local communities.
• Training and development throughout the 12 months.
• Attendance at online and in-person events.
• The chance to meet and network with your peers on the placement scheme across the country.

The initiative aims to support young people aged 18+ from low-income families, and applicants interested must meet the following criteria:

• Attending state school or college, or have done within the past two years. Minimum Grade C / 4 in GCSE Maths is desirable but not essential.
• Not planning on attending university.
• The occupation of your main household earner is categorised as a lower socio-economic background*, or
• Have been eligible for free school meals** at any point in the previous six years.

*Parental occupation classification is a national standard, and the Social Mobility Work’s toolkit (found here) provides details on the categorisations. “Lower socio-economic” typically refers to individuals or groups who have lower income, less educational attainment, and often work in lower-paying or less stable jobs.

**Free School Meals are a statutory benefit available to school-aged children from families who receive other qualifying benefits and who have been through the relevant registration process. It does not include those who receive meals at school through other means e.g., boarding school.

Each hosting organisation will set guidelines on how often you must work on-site.