Tuesday 28-10-2025 - 15:51

The Autumn Budget does not go far enough to address the cost of living for students and the Government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper was a missed opportunity to reimagine higher education (HE) funding in the UK. Instead of investing in our world-class universities, which contribute £265 billion to our economy, it doubles down on a broken tuition fee model that has driven the sector into a crisis. 

A few aspects of the most recent announcement will plaster over the bigger cracks in the system. But, to summarise, the government have announced that tuition fees and maintenance loans will now rise with inflation yearly, if universities can show their ‘quality’, and that maintenance grants for students on the maximum maintenance loan studying certain courses will be announced in the Autumn budget.

The Bristol SU Full-Time Officer Team stands together in the belief that education should be free. No student should have to pay to access learning. However, we recognise the financial pressures facing universities across the country and the urgent need for sustainable funding but urge the government to think again. We also welcome the increase in maintenance loans as that will mean more money in students’ pockets, but must stress that maintenance loans barely cover rent, let alone the full cost of living. A rise with inflation doesn’t go far enough.  Some of the proposed measures may offer short-term relief, but they risk masking deeper, systemic issues that need meaningful reform.

Furthermore, we are alarmed by proposals in the recent Skills White Paper to allow institutions with the highest quality ratings to charge the highest fees. This entrenches inequality, giving the illusion that the best education is accessible only to the wealthiest. At present, equal fees and choice across institutions help level the playing field, and this is something that we should strive to keep. 

We are also disappointed at the government's proposal to only award maintenance grants to those students studying "priority courses" that align with the government's industrial strategy. This sets a dangerous precedent that students from disadvantaged backgrounds must have their choices limited if they are to participate in HE. Whilst we welcome the return of maintenance grants for financially disadvantaged students, we believe that the eligible students should have the freedom to study whatever course they wish, and to have the same options as their wealthier peers. This proposition is a slippery slope into devaluing and defunding those courses that do not align with the government strategy, i.e the arts, humanities, social sciences.

The White Paper’s focus on metrics and league tables will not improve student learning. Punishing institutions deemed to need improvement, risks harming the very students the Government claims to support. If ministers are serious about teaching quality, they must address low pay, job cuts, and poor working conditions in universities, all of which directly impact students. 

Intertwined with all of this, is that international students are being unfairly targeted to subsidise these new pockets of funding through a levy on their fees that universities must pay. We think this is unfair - HEPI predict this will cost the University of Bristol approximately £14 million each year. International students enrich our classrooms, campuses and communities and have done so for so many years. We are dismayed that the government continues to devalue migration and refuse to acknowledge the benefits that international students bring to the UK.  

We know this is hard. That’s why tackling the cost of living remains a top priority for our Officer Team and our action for change on maintenance loans on a national scale is not new. Last year we joined the Loans That Last Campaign which calls for maintenance loans to be tied to inflation and have a location variance, as the one size all approach outside of London isn’t working.  As part of this, we asked the Vice Chancellor to support the campaign, and we lobbied at parliament, emphasising that students and university seniors agree that maintenance loans are not functional, for more information see here.

We’re working hard to make campus life more affordable and lobby policy makers against these changes, but we can’t do it alone. 

If you are frustrated with these changes or your cost of living, then join our meeting tomorrow (Weds 29 Oct) in Senate House, room 5.20 at 4pm. Join this house meeting, have a conversation and join us in going to Westminster to highlight this at the upcoming All-Party Parliamentary Group event.

As members of Bristol Students’ Union, you can challenge us and join us because you are one of us.

By working together, we can stand up and make Higher Education sustainable for generations to come. 

Signed,

Your Full-Time Officer Team