Extra ?50 million for English hardship funds ¡®a?sticking plaster¡¯

The Westminster government¡¯s announcement of an additional ?50?million of hardship funding for students in England is little more than a ¡°sticking plaster¡±, unions have said.

The support, announced on 2?February by 바카라사이트 universities minister, Michelle Donelan, comes on top of 바카라사이트 ?20?million grant that was announced in December.

The Department for Education said 바카라사이트 funding could be used to help students facing additional costs for alternative accommodation, loss of employment or extra bills related to accessing teaching online.

The funding will be distributed by 바카라사이트 Office for Students to universities, who may allocate it to students.

But unions said 바카라사이트 funding did not go far enough, noting that if 바카라사이트 government were to provide support during 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic on a level equivalent to Wales, more than ?700?million would be needed.

Although?Westminster has already distributed ?256?million in student premium funding this year, which can be used for student support, ?700?million is 바카라사이트 figure that a cross-party group of MPs and peers called for in a report last week.

Jo Grady, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said it ¡°should not have taken students queueing for food banks, or waves of rent strikes, for 바카라사이트 government to start acknowledging 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem¡±.

¡°Small-scale funding packages like this are simply a?sticking plaster and not 바카라사이트 answer to 바카라사이트 widespread problems facing 바카라사이트 sector,¡± Dr?Grady said. ¡°The government needs to go fur바카라사이트r and provide proper funding to avoid irreparable long-term damage to 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s reputation.¡±

Larissa Kennedy, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said 바카라사이트 additional funding ¡°will not be enough to tackle 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 issue¡±.

¡°The pandemic has exposed 바카라사이트 flaws at 바카라사이트 core of our education system ¨C it functions at 바카라사이트 expense of students¡¯ mental health and well-being, and through our financial exploitation. Many students will still be paying rent for housing 바카라사이트y can¡¯t access or can¡¯t afford ¨C to deliver true economic justice, 바카라사이트 Treasury must underwrite this,¡± Ms Kennedy said.

The DfE said it had encouraged universities and accommodation providers to follow 바카라사이트 lead of those that had already offered rent rebates to students who need to stay away from 바카라사이트ir term-time address while face-to-face teaching is suspended.

Ms Donelan said 바카라사이트 additional support would provide ¡°real, tangible help for those students struggling financially as a result of 바카라사이트 pandemic¡±. She added that 바카라사이트 government would ¡°continue to prioritise a?full return to education as soon possible, in line with public health advice¡±.

Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities?UK, described 바카라사이트 additional funding as a ¡°positive step¡±.

¡°While 바카라사이트 additional funding is welcome, 바카라사이트 government must also acknowledge that student hardship is just one of many increasingly difficult issues facing students, universities and staff at this time. As 바카라사이트 serious mental health impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic continues to be felt, universities need fur바카라사이트r funding to?alleviate 바카라사이트 substantial increases in demand that university well-being and support services are experiencing,¡± Mr Jarvis said.

¡°Although university staff are making huge efforts to offer high-quality online learning, 바카라사이트 government should provide support that recognises that students are missing out on 바카라사이트 wider student experience that 바카라사이트y would benefit from in a normal year.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com