Dr Diana Beech, Chief Executive Officer at London Higher said: “Today’s uplift to domestic fees in England is welcome news for universities trying to offer a world-leading education to students against a backdrop of eight years of continuous fee freezes. While the inflation-linked rise is both sound and reasonable, it still risks being engulfed by the hike in employers’ National Insurance contributions that comes into force in the spring. So, it is more of a smoke screen to cover the pending hit to university finances than a silver bullet to put it on a sustainable footing for the long-term. Its impact on prospective students’ considerations whether to embark on higher education must also not be underestimated and should be complemented with an increased maintenance package to ensure that those who can benefit from going to university the most do not feel priced out of the opportunity to embark on higher education and succeed.”
Dr Richard Boffey, Head of AccessHE at London Higher added: “It is encouraging to see Government prioritise access and participation in its vision for the higher education system. In its decision to increase maintenance loan entitlements, it has also sought to mitigate – if not entirely alleviate – cost pressures for students. The ‘cost of learning crisis’ in higher education is a well-documented risk to outcomes in higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds; and as recent London Higher research has shown, it is a risk to widening access, too. Any increase in support via maintenance loans is therefore welcome. At the same time, the uplift of £414 for students living away from home in London, which represents a 3.1% increase, should be seen in the context of recent rent and subsistence cost spikes in the capital that have been more acute than in any other English region and far outweigh today’s increases to loan entitlements. We stand ready to work with government on developing a fuller package of financial support for students – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds – to ensure costs do not stand in the way of education creating opportunity for all.”
