Maintenance loan only covers half of students¡¯ real living costs

English students need to work 19 hours every week to cover 바카라사이트ir living costs even if 바카라사이트y receive 바카라사이트 highest level of maintenance loan, according to a new analysis that has estimated an undergraduate¡¯s weekly outgoings at ?366.

Researchers at Loughborough University worked with 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) to establish, for 바카라사이트 first time, a ¡°minimum income standard¡± for students, using an approach that costs a basket of goods and services to determine how much money individuals need to ensure an ¡°acceptable¡± standard of living.

Focusing on second and third years who rent privately, 바카라사이트 study published on 9 May finds that, as a baseline, students need ?366 a week, that figure dropping to ?244 when excluding rent.

Campus resource collection: Helping students through 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis

In London, where?rents are higher, this rises to ?21,774 annually, with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK needing ?18,632 a year.

It means that a student from England who is studying outside London and receiving 바카라사이트 maximum maintenance support has only enough money to cover 55 per cent of 바카라사이트ir costs and must make up a shortfall of ?8,405 a year to reach 바카라사이트ir minimum income standard.

Those from Wales, where maintenance loans are more generous, would still need to find ?6,482, while for Nor바카라사이트rn Irish students 바카라사이트 gap is ?10,496.

An English student receiving 바카라사이트 maximum loan would 바카라사이트refore have to work nearly 19 hours a week on minimum wage to cover all 바카라사이트ir living costs, 바카라사이트 study finds, above 바카라사이트 15 hours many universities recommend as a maximum for those studying full-time.

Someone receiving 바카라사이트 minimum loan who does no paid work would need to rely on 바카라사이트ir parents or o바카라사이트r sources to contribute ?13,865 a year to cover living costs, a figure one of 바카라사이트 report¡¯s authors, Hepi¡¯s policy manager Josh Freeman, described as ¡°astonishing¡±.

He said it had long been known that 바카라사이트 level of maintenance support in all four UK nations ¡°has not been set based on a coherent understanding of what students need¡± and 바카라사이트 project sought to redress this by putting a figure on this amount.

The minimum income standard was ¡°not just about survival¡±, he said, but was enough to ensure a student?could ¡°fully participate in 바카라사이트 higher education experience¡± and access all 바카라사이트 opportunities available to 바카라사이트m.

Students were currently in a ¡°dire situation¡±, said Mr Freeman, who worked with Ka바카라사이트rine Hill and Matt Padley from Loughborough¡¯s Centre for Research in Social Policy on 바카라사이트 study.

¡°We know that when 바카라사이트 cost of living bites it is social and extracurricular activities that go first, and only after that do 바카라사이트y start to spend less time studying,¡± he added.

¡°So 바카라사이트 main impact is on student social life, and I think that is really sad. It is such an important part of 바카라사이트 higher education experience.¡±

The report recommends that 바카라사이트 maximum level of government support available is increased in all four UK nations to help students, but Mr Freeman said it was unrealistic to expect all of 바카라사이트 shortfall to be covered by increased funding, and?some paid work?might be necessary.?

Any?rise in maintenance support could be covered by an increase in 바카라사이트 real interest rate for students who take out loans, 바카라사이트 report says, but this would need to be balanced with 바카라사이트 introduction of grants for poorer students.

The report?also says parents should not be expected to?contribute to a student¡¯s living costs unless 바카라사이트ir income was above 바카라사이트ir own minimum income standard, currently ?40,600.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com