University Life Is Getting Too Expensive for the Poorest UK Students
Forget rows over tuition fees — for some, the cost-of-living crisis is making work a better option than study.
Until recently tuition fees were the biggest pain point for UK students.
Source: Getty ImagesStudents in the UK are struggling as inflation eats into the value of vital maintenance loans and makes minimum-wage work more attractive.
Inflation above 10% means that half of university students from Britain’s poorest households, who were eligible for free school meals, are considering dropping out because of money worries, according to a survey by student discount service Student Beans. Loans have been cut by 11% in real terms compared to 2020-2021, the equivalent of more than £1,000 per year ($1,146) for Britain’s lowest earners, according to new estimates from the Institute of Fiscal Studies.