Editorial Issue 1: The Cost of "Learning" Crisis

Photo Courtesy of: Times Higher Education

Every year there seems to be a phrase that dominates the majority of public discourse: in 2016 it was Brexit, in 2020 it was Covid. This year, it is the cost of living crisis that is on the tip of everybody’s tongue.

Even if you’re lucky enough to not be directly affected by the crisis, echoes of the situation are ubiquitous across our UCL community and universities nationwide.

As energy costs rise and the pinch of inflation begins to set in, the 2022 National Student Accommodation survey distributed to Pi Media by Save The Student found that 54% of students are looking to cut back on social activities. Meanwhile, a further 62% of students reported declining health due to the stress of rising accommodation costs. A similar report by the National Union of Students (NUS) noted that 1 in 4 students have less than £50 a month to live on after paying rent and bills – an untenable and preposterous position for any human being in this country. 

This is only worsened by the fact that the report released by the NUS was made public back in March, not only highlighting the longevity of this crisis, but also underscoring this for us: the cost of learning crisis has been a long time coming.

While it would be unfair to say that the government and universities have failed to act in the past year, the actual impact of their response must be called into question. All the measures introduced thus far have not succeeded in specifically addressing the ordeal of Britain’s student body and in catering to our collective needs. The cost of living crisis is a tangible deterrent to our livelihoods, not only as students now, but also as graduates as we will seek to navigate the job market in the future.

Recent political instability aside, the government has implemented a variety of measures to support households and businesses during this crisis – the recently announced energy price cap is at the heart of this support. But many of these measures fail to adequately assist Britain’s student population: the £40 million package for council tax rebates, for example, will do nothing to help those of us enrolled in full-time education as we are already exempt from paying such a tax. In a similar vein, maintenance loans – which many UK students rely on to cover their day to day cost of living – are set independently of inflation. For the 2022/23 academic year, the maximum size loan for those living in London increased by a mere £285 compared with the previous year. This is a consecutive rise of 2.3%, an increase falling far below the 8.8% annual inflationary increase.

As students, we are price-constrained – we face a widespread increase in costs while our budgets remain relatively unchanged. 

Britain’s primary system of social security, known as universal credit, faces a similar challenge; the allocated funds are stationary and are not adjusted to inflation. However, voices from across the political spectrum have been calling for universal credit to rise in line with inflation – and rightly so. Unfortunately, our opinions as students in higher education are not subject to the same political support with maintenance loans highly unlikely to rise for the remaining academic year.

In addition to support measures introduced by the government, many universities have also offered a helping hand. UCL has established a hardship fund to support those students struggling with the current rise in living costs. Those in full-time education are eligible to receive up to £3,000 from the fund, whilst additional measures have also been put in place for part-time students and those of us with dependants.

There’s no denying that UCL has done its best to help students through both financial and welfare support. For many students, though, these measures fall short of the help we so desperately need amidst the precarious economic situation in the UK, with catastrophic impacts especially in London. 

As with the high street, prices in the Students Union have also sky-rocketed. A blackboard standing outside Gordon’s Cafe is somewhat out of date, advertising tasty treats for a bargain of £1. This bears little resemblance to the £1.20 price-tag of the cakes and bakes you can find inside.

We shouldn’t blame the union for these price increases. Indeed, it is an organisation run for and by students. However, we should not shy away from asking if they could be doing more to help those of us who are struggling.

The truth is, this crisis has been a long time in the making and the National Union of Students report (as quoted earlier in this article) is only but a testament to this. 

For far too long, Britain's higher education institutions have been poorly financed leading to the axing of courses and the striking of academics for fair wages. However, these are only symptoms of a failing infrastructure and dated institutionalised views on academia. The current cost of living crisis has exacerbated this failing system, exposing its broken machinery for all to see. This isn’t about hand-outs or short-term fixes, this is about a crumbling system and the thousands of students who have been under-served and under-sold for far too long. From a never-before-seen dire housing market, to cost increases in food, for many students focussing on education has been put on the back burner. And though it is our duty to speak up, it is not for us to bear the brunt of this mess. Poor governance is accountable and condemnable. 

Although we’ve labelled this a cost of learning crisis, the crux of the problem goes far beyond us as students. More needs to be done to help those struggling not only now but in the future. The government and universities, so laden with resources and advisory boards, need to stop acting in retrospect and instead pursue preventive measures for those it promises its service too, not only for this crisis, but for all those to come. 

Lastly, to anyone in our student body who is feeling stabbed by this crisis: you’re not alone.

If you or someone you know is directly affected by the content of this article, please don’t be afraid to reach out to the UCL Student’s Union for help. As a student newspaper, we are always interested in your views. If you have a story you’d like to tell – please, get in touch.

Editorial Contributors: Shayeza Walid, Conor Walsh, Oana Gavriloiu