Students feel they have been “ignored” amidst cost-of-living crisis that leaves them with 50p per week to live on.
Commenting, NUS UK Vice President Higher Education, Chloe Field, said:
“Though we are pleased to see reduced tax benefits for non-doms and continued windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas, this is yet another budget that ignores students and workers.
“Students do not have enough financial support. The average student rent in England accounts for over 99% of the average maintenance loan, leaving students with just 50p per week to live on. This is forcing many of us to work over 20 hours a week on top of full-time study, contributing to high rates of loneliness, and impacting our mental health as well as our grades.
“We need the Government to increase maintenance loans and reintroduce maintenance grants in line with the Real Living Wage so students can focus on our studies rather than working every hour of the day just to survive.
“The government need to take this crisis in education seriously, and really rethink the funding model which gains profits of students whilst continuously eroding their education and experience.
“We urge the Government to U-turn on their decision to cut public spending further, and instead increase it, funded by further tax increases on the super-rich, and on climate-destroying industries.”
