This article advocating for changes to pay university students for undertaking placements is important. I have been hearing directly from students who have been withdrawing from courses or moving into different fields because they are unable to afford long unpaid placements in social work. Students also tell me they are working long extra shifts in order to build a ‘buffer’ for when they are on placements. This impacts on their studies, it is impacting on their families, and it is impacting on their mental health. We need to do better.