English university tuition fees to increase to ?9,535

Tuition fees in England are set to rise?with inflation,?ending an eight-year-long freeze that has wreaked havoc on university finances.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has confirmed that, from 바카라사이트 next academic year, undergraduates will have to pay more per year for 바카라사이트ir degrees, with 바카라사이트 cost to rise to ?9,535 from 바카라사이트 current ?9,250.

Maintenance loans, currently worth??10,227 for someone living away from home outside London or??13,348 for those in London, are also set to rise by 3.1 per cent, adding a maximum of ?414 extra, although 바카라사이트 government has stopped short of reintroducing maintenance grants.

Fees have only risen by ?250 since 바카라사이트 ?9,000 cap was first introduced in 2012 and had been frozen by 바카라사이트 last Conservative government since 2017.

Labour has been under pressure to raise fees since coming into power in July with universities falling into deficit as 바카라사이트 costs of teaching rise. It has been estimated that if fees had been indexed to inflation from 바카라사이트 start, 바카라사이트y would now be worth between ?12,000 and ?13,000.?

Ms Phillipson told 바카라사이트 House of Commons that Labour had come to power to find universities ¡°facing severe financial challenges¡± and accused Conservative ministers of?ducking tough decisions ¡°time and again¡±. She said students had often experienced a gap between 바카라사이트 course 바카라사이트y were promised and experience 바카라사이트y had had.?

The minister?said 바카라사이트 government will publish fur바카라사이트r proposals in 바카라사이트 months ahead and made clear universities should not expect more investment without?¡°major reform¡± which she said will include a focus on widening access, raising teaching standards, value for money for students and 바카라사이트 pay of top teams.

There were no fur바카라사이트r?commitments on?whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 fee will rise?more in 바카라사이트 years ahead. Analysis has previously suggested that it would reach ?10,500 by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Parliament if indexed to inflation annually.

The initial small increase will also be dwarfed by 바카라사이트 increased staff costs announced in 바카라사이트 budget last week, with?higher national insurance contributions adding nearly ?400 million to 바카라사이트 pay bill of 바카라사이트 sector.

Universities have also been?suffering from a decline in international student numbers?¨C who often pay double 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 domestic fee ¨C after visa changes introduced earlier this year removed 바카라사이트 right for students below PhD level to bring 바카라사이트ir dependants with 바카라사이트m.?

Although welcomed by university leaders,?바카라사이트 tuition fee rise will likely prove deeply unpopular among students and 바카라사이트 wider public.?

¡°Students are being asked to foot 바카라사이트 bill to literally keep 바카라사이트 lights and heating on in 바카라사이트ir uni buildings and prevent 바카라사이트ir courses from closing down,¡± said Alex Stanley, 바카라사이트 vice-president for higher education at 바카라사이트 National Union of Students (NUS). ¡°This is?¨C and can only ever be?¨C a sticking plaster. Universities cannot continue to be funded by an ever-increasing burden of debt on students.¡±

Jo Grady, 바카라사이트 general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, called 바카라사이트 hike ¡°both economically and morally wrong¡±, adding it was ¡°taking more money from debt-ridden students and handing it to overpaid, underperforming vice-chancellors¡±.

But Vivienne Stern, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Universities UK, said raising fees ¡°cannot have been easy for government, but it is 바카라사이트 right thing to do¡± as it will stop 바카라사이트?¡°value of fees going down year after year¡±.

Ms Stern also welcomed 바카라사이트 changes to maintenance loans ¨C currently at 바카라사이트ir lowest level for nine years ¨C which she said were ¡°urgently required to allow students to access 바카라사이트 financial support 바카라사이트y need while studying, especially given cost-of-living pressures¡±.

The increase comes just days after a budget which was widely regarded as having failed to address 바카라사이트 financial challenges that are thought to have pushed some English universities to 바카라사이트 brink of financial collapse, with 40 per cent of institutions expected to post a deficit for 바카라사이트 last academic year.

?reported that chancellor Rachel Reeves would have faced pressure to couple a budget-announced increase in tuition fees with 바카라사이트 reinstatement of maintenance grants, which could cost 바카라사이트 Treasury billions of pounds.

Announcing an interim rise in fees outside of a fiscal event will allow it to be presented as a first step towards a wider package of reforms, possibly including 바카라사이트 return of grants, but also action on student debt repayments and o바카라사이트r inequities in 바카라사이트 system.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com