COST OF SURVIVAL: NUS-USI launch campaign as financial worries sweep student population
Flavia Gouveia
As the academic year gets underway amidst the worst cost-of-living crisis in recent decades, a new report by the National Union for Students indicates that financial worries are sweeping the student population. The report by the NUS has found that students across the UK are “facing a devastating set of economic circumstances that are impacting their health, their wellbeing and their ability to study”.
Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, the NUS-USI has launched a new campaign calling for emergency measures to support students. The campaign, ‘Cost of Survival’, calls for an emergency one-off payment for all students, rent freezes, free public transportation and fuel payments.
NUS-USI President, Chloe Ferguson, has been engaging with students across the country over the last two weeks and reports that students are worried about “the cost of rent, rising energy bills, food prices and travel costs”. She shares stories of students reporting rent increases of £100 and of paying £85 weekly to travel to their course. Meanwhile, the NUS report shares the account of a student nurse in Northern Ireland who admits to considering dropping out of their course as they struggle to manage on a £430-per-month bursary payment, while working up to 60 hours a week while on placement.
Sinéad McLaughlin, SDLP MLA for Foyle, said that “at a time of spiralling energy costs, rising food prices and inflation that is out of control, we need to recognise the hugely damaging impact that the current crisis will have on our student population, many of whom will struggle to make ends meet this winter”.
“At a time of spiralling energy costs, rising food prices and inflation that is out of control, we need to recognise the hugely damaging impact that the current crisis will have on our student population, many of whom will struggle to make ends meet this winter”
Queen’s University Belfast Students’ Union President, Emma Murphy, shares similar concerns and worries that the worst is yet to come. Emma said, “towards November or December time, is when I think pressure will build, as students start to think about heating and energy costs”. It is in reaction to these concerns, that QUBSU will be championing several initiatives including free breakfast mornings and free tea and coffee accessible to students from the SU building.
One of the key concerns is that student incomes have remained stagnant over the years. The NUS report indicates that student salaries have remained unchanged over recent years. The situation is compounded by issues surrounding student financing - Chloe Ferguson from the NUS-USI highlights that “student finance hasn’t kept up with inflation for over a decade”. The current situation with rapidly rising inflation “means that a student today may be thousands of pounds worse off, in real terms, than a student back in 2009” suggests Chloe.
Chloe added that the current financial system “creates student poverty by design and forces [students] to work long hours while studying full time just to survive”. This is a view shared by Sinéad McLaughlin who says that “it is indefensible that in 2022, we are forcing our young people who are just trying to pursue an education into poverty”.
“Our current system creates student poverty by design and forces [students] to work long hours while studying full time just to survive. ”
A collapsed executive and the threat of a looming election in October, means that any financial support is unlikely to be agreed and rolled out before the winter months hit. Ms McLaughlin, who has been lobbying the Minister for the Economy to set out a strategy to support students, added that “students also need a government back up and running to support them and get them through this crisis”.
In the meantime, students needing additional financial support can access the Student Hardship Fund and Student Support Fund, however, Chloe suggests that these “are in need of some reform to be truly effective”. Emma Murphy adds that there are issues with these schemes, including a heavy burden of proof that lies with the student. Both Chloe and Emma expressed concern over the period of time these applications can take to process, making the funds ineffective in times of financial emergency.
Emma Murphy said that the Students’ Union will continue to lobby for additional support for students and has urged students to seek support if they are struggling.
QUB students can find out more about the hardship and student support funds here and can access the QUBSU’s advisory service here. Information on the NUS-USI campaign ‘Cost of Survival’ can be found here.
Flavia Gouveia is The Scoop’s Environment and Science editor and a Journalism MA student at Ulster University.