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What are the real effects of the cost-of-living crisis on students?
17 March 2023
In an in-depth and vital report, 果冻影院 student journalist Camille Koebel investigates how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting students' mental and emotional health, in the wake of the new Russell Group universities' Cost-of-Living Survey.
It is a grim and overwhelming reality; one that keeps us up at night, shown in each new layer of blankets where hopes of warm sleep are swept away by worries, loneliness and stress. A , carried out by Russell Group universities Students鈥� Unions, shows that the听crisis has brought students to their knees, with almost One in 5 students in London has been forced to or even take up a second job, and 68% say they.听
鈥� The cost-of-living crisis has brought students to their knees, with almosta third living off 拢50 a month after paying rent and bills.
This comes as no surprise when, while the, the UK government fails to increase loans significantly. On 11听January, the government announced a for the 2023/24 academic year 鈥� a barely symbolic measure when the DfE pointed out that to simply keep up with the cost of living.听
As one student says: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 qualify for most bursaries or university support due to parental income (which also means lower student finance loans), but my parents cannot afford to give me enough money to complement my low student loan to a point where I鈥檇 have enough money to survive鈥�., as the parental earning threshold of 拢25,000 has remained the same since 2008.听
While the vast majority of students are impacted by the cost-of-living crisis (81%, according to the Russell Group听Cost-of-Living Survey), the most affected are those from low socio-economic backgrounds, international students, and those of us with dependents 鈥� all affected in different ways. International students are unable to increase working hours due to visa restrictions and often have a harder time accessing funds: 鈥淚 have a big stamp in my visa," one student says, "that says that I have no access to public funds鈥�.听听
Students with dependents 鈥� often women 鈥� are also at great risk of precarity, and have the additional cost of childcare. A recent review of the 果冻影院 Institute of Health Equity on the rising cost of living recommended that 鈥渓ocal employers should provide subsidised on-site childcare where feasible, offer childcare deposit loan schemes and ensure flexible working options for parents at all levels of their organisations to help address both the high cost of childcare and child poverty in London.鈥� While 果冻影院 does have a day-care service for students and staff, its limited capacity (67 places), which can cost up to 拢1,522 a month, may not be able to help all those who would welcome such a service on campus.听听听
In response to the crisis, 果冻影院 increased the amounts of its bursaries and grants. At the start of this academic year, the undergraduate bursary was augmented by 拢500. 果冻影院鈥檚 Financial Assistance Award, which prioritises those with children and / or with disabilities 鈥� and which can grant up to 拢3,000 鈥� had its assessment process adapted to consider inflationary increases. This means that around 拢1.5m of extra funding will be available this year, with 拢500,000 already disbursed in non-repayable grants. For those in urgent need, the managed by the provides short emergency grants of up to 拢150, as well as grants of up to 拢3,000 (the latter taking several weeks to process, and the former covering short-term support in the meantime). The Student Funding Advisors and the Students鈥� Union Advice Service can both help students find out what funding they can claim and how to put together an application.听
Both the Student Funding Advisory service and the wider Student Funding Office are completely confidential: 鈥淲e would never discuss a student鈥檚 financial information with their parents, unless the student has given us written permission to do so鈥�.听
Even though the Funding Office received more than double the number of hardship applications this year compared to last year, they still mention that 鈥渙ne of the hardest parts of the job is simply encouraging students to come forward to ask for help. It can be embarrassing and difficult for students to disclose that they are struggling financially. In some cases, students have a misconception that they have to be utterly destitute before they can apply for extra money 鈥� and that simply isn鈥檛 the case. It's much better to apply before things get really dire so we can provide timely support鈥�.听听
Apart from putting students at greater risk of precarity, the cost-of-living crisis presents threats to students鈥� mental health and overall wellbeing. Students report:听鈥淚 can never go out with my friends and peers because everything is so expensive, so I sit at home alone. Being in a foreign country for the first time, away from family and friends, is already lonely enough,鈥� and, 鈥渁s someone with both a chronic illness and mental health issues, the cost-of-living crisis has severely affected my academic life. I have been unable to join any clubs or societies which has left me feeling isolated," as well as, 鈥渟ince food and beverages in London are so expensive, I avoid going out with my friends. Fewer opportunities听to听socialise听make听me feel isolated from the class and society.鈥澨�
鈥�鈥淚 can never go out with my friends and peers because everything is so expensive, so I sit at home alone. Being in a foreign country for the first time, away from family and friends, is already lonely enough.
It is clear from these students鈥� testimonies (all from the ) that one of the main consequences of the soaring cost of living is being isolated and lonely. While university is advertised as the time of your life, where you meet lifelong friends, the reality of the past few years, first with the pandemic, now with surging inflation, is that it is becoming an increasingly isolating and lonely experience 鈥� one made even harder by the way in which expectations and reality can clash. Going out in London is particularly expensive, and societies鈥� costs can quickly add up.听听
To foster students socialising and discovering themselves within society activities, earlier this year the Students鈥� Union created a, which any student can apply to, and which is aimed at covering societies鈥� costs (e.g. memberships, purchasing equipment, or joining Bloomsbury Fitness) up to 拢250.听
Alongside isolation and loneliness, students are also subject to further stress and worries: 鈥淭he transport costs & bills genuinely keep me up at night鈥�; they say, as well as: 鈥渨hen I go by train I see homeless people sitting in the stations and I'm afraid I will be just like them one day.鈥澨�
A reports that 90% of students say the crisis has an impact on their mental health, with 31% of them reporting a 鈥渕ajor impact鈥�. However, the same survey points out that only 20% have received support from the Government.听听
Even when it may seem useless, accessing help and support is important. 果冻影院 and the SU have many wellbeing services. From a support line available 24/7, to counselling services 鈥� aid is available. The Student鈥檚 Union also has ready to help students navigate issues ranging from housing and employment to legal issues in complete confidentiality.听
鈥�果冻影院 and the SU have many wellbeing services. From a support line available 24/7, to counselling services 鈥� aid is available. The Student鈥檚 Union also has ready to help students navigate issues ranging from housing and employment to legal issues in complete confidentiality.听
The Student Support and Wellbeing Team also often organise events and themed weeks to highlight some issues and bring students together; like with their legendary Wobble Week in November and their Beat the Blues week in January. The SSW听team also听planned a in late February, University Mental Health Day was on March 9, and a special week dedicated to exam stress is in the works.听
Greater precarity and poor mental health transform the cost-of-living crisis into a cost-of-learning crisis, with 53% of 果冻影院 students saying that their academic performance has suffered. This situation is multifactorial. The higher costs of living and difficult access to financial help are forcing students to work more hours to make ends meet, leaving their studies on the side: 鈥淚 have to have a part-time job, which has hurt my grades from the start of uni, and I am now considering increasing my hours and letting my grades fall due to the cost of living.鈥澨�
Increased travel costs also mean that students who can鈥檛 afford rent near the university have to choose wisely when to come to university: 鈥淸For] some lab techniques [鈥 you have to go in every day; I can鈥檛 afford to spend 拢11.50 on travel just to go in for 30 mins max work," says one, whilst another says, 鈥淚've sometimes skipped 9ams just to save on the peak transport fee.鈥澨�
Image from the Russell Group Students' Unions , March 2023
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Increased financial stress also jeopardises students鈥� ability to study in good conditions and focus on their work: 鈥淚 am growing more and more concerned with the workload and constantly don鈥檛 have sufficient time to do well in any sphere of my life 鈥撎� academic, professional or personal and social. It has become impossible to get more than 6 hours of sleep, and with the constant worry I find myself stuck, having to balance what I need with investing in my future.鈥�.听
It is clear from looking at the statistics and listening to students鈥� voices that this situation is damaging. It puts students 鈥� a particularly precarious group 鈥� under great stress. The Russell Group Students' Unions Cost of Living survey听reports that 21% of 果冻影院 students have considered deferring their studies because they could not afford to continue and 18% have considered dropping out: 鈥淚 was thinking about dropping the program and go back to my country, because the circumstances here are unbelievably terrible.鈥澨�
If this situation lasts 鈥� and support remains limited 鈥� the crisis could threaten academic achievements and excellence in the longer run, with the most impacted students being prevented from performing at their best. Eventually, the most impacted ones 鈥� likely from lower socio-economic backgrounds 鈥� might need to drop out because of the financial unsustainability and inaccessibility that come with university life. Further along the line, this could mean even greater entry selection, with fewer and fewer people able to afford to go to university at all.听
It is important to speak about the cost-of-living crisis, and how it鈥檚 affecting us all, because students should not suffer in silence. Opening up the discussion about it, letting students know of the help they can get at 果冻影院 鈥� so they don鈥檛 suffer in silence 鈥� is important to prevent further harm and isolation.听
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About the author:
Camille Koebel is a 2nd year student in the European Social and Political Studies BA programme at 果冻影院. She sees the 果冻影院 VPEE Student Journalism Scheme as a great opportunity to hone the听skills required for a career in this field. She is looking forward to writing for 果冻影院 News to听provide students with articles that feel relevant to their experiences, aspirations, and life, giving them a voice and helping them make the most out of 果冻影院!听
Find out more about the 果冻影院 Student Journalism Scheme here.