The Students Union are very aware of the challenges facing students this year. We have been hit with another once in a lifetime problem that will make it even harder for students to complete their degree to the best of their abilities. The Students Union and the full officer team are working tirelessly to make sure we can support students as best we can. We are making changes to our union building to accommodate students as well as attending university meetings and using our voices to make sure students are thought about during this challenging time. I wanted to write this to demonstrate potential threats to students this year as well as what we are doing at the union to support you as much as possible.
We have been organising ideas and working with NUS Cost of Living campaign to figure out how we can best support students during this year. Students are going to slip through the cracks this year with no benefit support from the government to help with electric bills and no increase in student finance. Student loans are based on how much your parents earn with the assumption that if your parents earn enough, they will help you out. For many this is not the case, and a large majority of students need to work throughout term time to be able to afford a basic life.
According to NUS surveys, financial pressures or concerns are the main reasons students have to leave University and with costs rising and no increase in available income, we are concerned that more students will have to increase paid work and negatively impact their studies or in the worst-case scenario, students will drop out because they simply cannot afford to live. We are also concerned about the negative impact that increased pressures will have on mental and physical health of students. Simply put, those students who may have been okay before, may not be okay this year. According to an NUS survey, 77% of students who believe they are going to be affected by the cost-of-living crisis with 42% of students saying it will have a major impact.
We are going to see an increase in the number of students who are looking for jobs. Having a part time job is great – I agree, but if a student is having to work more than they study, then they will not be able to do as well in their education as they could. Students barely have enough money as it is, but when everything is going to increase and their student loans are going to stay the same, they will have even less than before which will have a direct impact on student’s wellbeing and how successful they are in their studies.
Therefore, at the Students Union, we are thinking of ways to benefit our students and help them in the year ahead. We are creating our community fridge and kitchen which will be ready for students to use soon. We have also created the second-hand project where students can get access to essential items and clothing. This is currently open in the underground of the Students Union. We want to support students to make sure they are not just surviving but thriving when they are at university and are able to get the full university experience.
The Students Union are working on so many different things currently to help improve life for students and we are so excited to share these with you. In the meantime, keep an eye out on are website and student media platforms to see what we are doing.
If anything mentioned in this blog has concerned you or you have questions about the cost of living, please reach out to us for support. We have an amazing student advisor who can help you with anything and if they cannot help, they can signpost you to the best people.