Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to reduce the cost of transport for students commuting to and from university.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Students will benefit from nearly £600 million invested into the £2 Bus Fare Cap scheme, which was introduced by the Department for Transport and has now been extended until 31 December 2024. This scheme provides affordable transport links across England, outside of London. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London and it is for them to make decisions on fares.
The government recognises the wider cost of living pressures that have impacted students. The department has made £276 million of Student Premium and Mental Health funding available in the 2023/24 academic year to support students who need additional help, including disadvantaged students. This funding will complement the help universities are providing through their own bursary, scholarship and hardship support schemes.
The government has continued to increase living costs support each year with a 2.8% increase for the 2023/24 academic year. The department is considering options for loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2024/25 academic year and will be making an announcement in due course.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of (a) changes in the level of the cost of living for students in the (i) last and (ii) next 12 months and (b) the rate of inflation for students.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year which have impacted students. The Government publishes Equality Impact Assessments of changes to student finance each year. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-student-finance-2023-to-2024-equality-analysis.
The department has not directly assessed the impact of changes in the cost of living on higher education (HE) students, but closely monitors the evidence produced by other organisations and uses this to inform decision-making. For example, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) published research from interviews with students named ‘ONS student voices research’ and Wonkhe, along with Pearson, have published research on connections between students' financial struggles, wellbeing, and academic progress titled ‘Financial struggles make it harder for students to connect and engage in their university community’. A link to the latter publication can be found here: https://wonkhe.com/blogs/financial-struggles-make-it-harder-for-students-to-connect-and-engage-in-their-university-community/.
Having considered reports such as these, the department has made available £276 million of Student Premium and Mental Health funding for the 2023/24 academic year, to support students who need additional help including disadvantaged students. This funding will complement the help universities are providing through their own bursary, scholarship and hardship support schemes.
We have frozen maximum tuition fees for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years to deliver better value for students and to keep the cost of higher education under control. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years.
Additionally, the Government has continued to increase living costs support each year with a 2.8% increase for the 2023/24 academic year. Decisions on student finance had to be taken alongside other spending priorities to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and the costs of HE is shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university.
The government is considering options for loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2024/25 academic year and will be making an announcement in due course.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that students with long-term health conditions are able to access the financial support to which they are entitled; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of deducting loans that cover maintenance from Universal Credit on the income of affected students.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Students, including disabled students and those with health conditions, access fees and living costs support for their higher education courses through various loans and grants funded through the student support system. It is important that UC does not duplicate this support, which is designed for the needs of students unlike the social security system. This includes support which recognises a person’s disability, such as the Disabled Students Allowance for those in higher education and discretionary bursaries and grants if undertaking further education. Disabled students also have access to discretionary Hardship Funds which are made available by universities and colleges.
It is important that Universal Credit does not duplicate this support. A condition of entitlement for Universal Credit is that the claimant must not be in education, which excludes most students. There is an exception where a person has already been determined to have limited capability for work before entering education and is entitled to a qualifying disability benefit, such as Personal Independence Payment. The rules for this exception are designed to encourage those already claiming Universal Credit because of disability or ill health to take up education that may help them into work in the future.
Treatment of student income under Universal Credit broadly mirrors that in income related Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Income Support and income-based Jobseekers Allowance which safeguards fairness whilst also ensuring simplification of the benefit system. If an eligible student makes a claim to Universal Credit we take into account, as income, any financial support which provides for the student's basic maintenance, such as student maintenance loans and grants. We do not take into account student income which covers additional costs, such as loans for tuition fees and books. The first £110 of any student maintenance loan or grant paid to meet living costs is not taken into account in each monthly Assessment Period where benefits are calculated. Over a typical 9 or 10 month academic year claimants are able to keep between £990-£1100 more of their Universal Credit award. The intention behind this is to help students with any added costs of books, equipment and travel which may be incurred whilst studying or training.
Whilst it is acknowledged that maintenance loans are to be paid back, if they were not treated as income and were ignored this would result in Universal Credit (and most legacy benefits) duplicating support already provided through the student finance system.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with the Office for Students on the adequacy of the student loan and changes in the level of the cost of student accommodation in (a) York and (b) other university towns.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government recognises the cost-of-living pressures that continue to impact students, including those wishing to live in student accommodation.
Student accommodation is a busy part of the housing market, and as universities and landlords are private, autonomous bodies, the government has no role in providing student residential accommodation, nor a remit to intervene. The department expects universities and private landlords to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, clear, and have the interests of students at heart. This includes making accommodation available at a range of affordable price points where possible.
In England, the department has put in place a significant amount of support to help students tackle the ongoing cost of living pressures. We have continued to increase support for living costs each year for English-domiciled students, with a 2.8% increase to maximum loans and grants for the current 2023/24 academic year.
Students who have been awarded a loan for living costs for the 2023/24 academic year that is lower than the maximum, and whose household income for the 2023/24 tax year has dropped by at least 15% compared to the income provided for their original assessment, will be able to apply for their entitlement to be reassessed.
The department has frozen maximum tuition fees for the current academic year and for the 2024/25 academic year. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. We believe that this continued fee freeze achieves the best possible balance between ensuring the system stays sustainable, offering good value for the taxpayer, and reducing student debt.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the cost of student accommodation in (a) purpose-built student accommodation and (b) the private rental sector on students' ability to remain at university.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government recognises the cost-of-living pressures that continue to impact students, including those wishing to live in student accommodation.
Student accommodation is a busy part of the housing market, and as universities and landlords are private, autonomous bodies, the government has no role in providing student residential accommodation, nor a remit to intervene. The department expects universities and private landlords to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, clear, and have the interests of students at heart. This includes making accommodation available at a range of affordable price points where possible.
In England, the department has put in place a significant amount of support to help students tackle the ongoing cost of living pressures. We have continued to increase support for living costs each year for English-domiciled students, with a 2.8% increase to maximum loans and grants for the current 2023/24 academic year.
Students who have been awarded a loan for living costs for the 2023/24 academic year that is lower than the maximum, and whose household income for the 2023/24 tax year has dropped by at least 15% compared to the income provided for their original assessment, will be able to apply for their entitlement to be reassessed.
The department has frozen maximum tuition fees for the current academic year and for the 2024/25 academic year. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. We believe that this continued fee freeze achieves the best possible balance between ensuring the system stays sustainable, offering good value for the taxpayer, and reducing student debt.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will provide additional support to students who live in areas with very high accommodation costs.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government recognises the cost-of-living pressures that continue to impact students, including those wishing to live in student accommodation.
Student accommodation is a busy part of the housing market, and as universities and landlords are private, autonomous bodies, the government has no role in providing student residential accommodation, nor a remit to intervene. The department expects universities and private landlords to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, clear, and have the interests of students at heart. This includes making accommodation available at a range of affordable price points where possible.
In England, the department has put in place a significant amount of support to help students tackle the ongoing cost of living pressures. We have continued to increase support for living costs each year for English-domiciled students, with a 2.8% increase to maximum loans and grants for the current 2023/24 academic year.
Students who have been awarded a loan for living costs for the 2023/24 academic year that is lower than the maximum, and whose household income for the 2023/24 tax year has dropped by at least 15% compared to the income provided for their original assessment, will be able to apply for their entitlement to be reassessed.
The department has frozen maximum tuition fees for the current academic year and for the 2024/25 academic year. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. We believe that this continued fee freeze achieves the best possible balance between ensuring the system stays sustainable, offering good value for the taxpayer, and reducing student debt.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure an adequate supply of affordable accommodation for students in further and higher education.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government is aware of the increasing cost of living pressures on students. The department has put in place a significant amount of support to support students in England to tackle this.
The department has continued to increase living costs support each year for English-domiciled students with a 2.3% increase to maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2022/23 academic year, and a 2.8% increase for the 2023/24 academic year.
The department has also earmarked £276 million of student premium funding this year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help.
In addition, the department has frozen maximum tuition fees for the 2022/23 academic year, as well as for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. By the 2024/25 academic year, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. The department believes that a continued fee freeze achieves the best balance between ensuring the system remains sustainable, while offering good value for taxpayers, not all of whom have benefitted from a university education.
As well as keeping tuition fees flat, the department has introduced and boosted degree apprenticeships, where, if people want to earn and learn, they can get their degrees paid for by their apprenticeship.
The government plays no direct role in the provision of student residential accommodation, whether it is managed by universities or private companies. The department encourages universities and private landlords to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, clear, and have the interests of students at heart. This includes making accommodation available at a range of affordable price points where possible. The student funding system also targets the most support for living costs to those who need it most, from the lowest income families.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment has she made of the affordability of (a) housing and (b) other cost of living costs for university students.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government is aware of the increasing cost of living pressures on students. The department has put in place a significant amount of support to support students in England to tackle this.
The department has continued to increase living costs support each year for English-domiciled students with a 2.3% increase to maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2022/23 academic year, and a 2.8% increase for the 2023/24 academic year.
The department has also earmarked £276 million of student premium funding this year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help.
In addition, the department has frozen maximum tuition fees for the 2022/23 academic year, as well as for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. By the 2024/25 academic year, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. The department believes that a continued fee freeze achieves the best balance between ensuring the system remains sustainable, while offering good value for taxpayers, not all of whom have benefitted from a university education.
As well as keeping tuition fees flat, the department has introduced and boosted degree apprenticeships, where, if people want to earn and learn, they can get their degrees paid for by their apprenticeship.
The government plays no direct role in the provision of student residential accommodation, whether it is managed by universities or private companies. The department encourages universities and private landlords to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, clear, and have the interests of students at heart. This includes making accommodation available at a range of affordable price points where possible. The student funding system also targets the most support for living costs to those who need it most, from the lowest income families.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support individuals on student loan plans (a) 2 and (b) 4.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Decisions on student finance have to be taken alongside other spending priorities to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and the costs of higher education (HE) are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university.
The government has continued to increase maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for plan 2 student loans each year. Maximum support has been increased by 2.3% for the 2022/23 academic year, with a further 2.8% increase announced for 2023/24. In addition, the department is freezing maximum tuition fees for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years to deliver better value for students and to keep the costs of HE under control. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years.
The government recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year and that are impacting students. The department has made £276 million of student premium and mental health funding available for the 2023/24 academic year to support successful outcomes for students, including disadvantaged students.
Student loans are available to all eligible students, irrespective of background or financial history, and include significant protections. Monthly student loan repayments are calculated by income rather than by interest rates or the amount borrowed. If a borrower’s earnings are below the relevant repayment threshold, they will not be required to make any repayments. At the end of the loan term, or in case of death or disability, any outstanding loan debt, including interest accrued, will be written off at no detriment to the borrower. No commercial loans offer this level of protection. To further protect borrowers, where the government considers that the student loan interest rate is too high in comparison to the prevailing market rate, it will reduce the maximum plan 2, plan 3 and plan 5 interest rate.
Plan 4 student loans are issued by the Scottish Government, which has responsibility for HE in Scotland and determines the student finance arrangements for Scottish students.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with her counterparts in the devolved Administrations on the potential merits of providing additional financial support for (a) school and (b) higher education students in the context of increases in the cost of living.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Last month, I met representatives from across the UK where we discussed this very topic. In England, we have put in place a significant amount of support to help students and families alike with the cost of living. This year alone, this government will spend around £37bn on cost of living support.
I take my role of giving children the very best start in life incredibly seriously. This Government spends more than £1 billion annually delivering free school meals to pupils in schools. More than one third of pupils in schools in England now receive a free meal. We have expanded the Holiday Activities and Food programme so that disadvantaged children in England will be offered free healthy meals and enriching activities over the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays. This expansion was built on previous programmes, including last summer’s, which supported around 600,000 children across 152 local authorities.
I also recognise the cost-of-living pressures that have impacted students. That is why we have earmarked £276 million of student premium funding this year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help. We have continued to increase living costs support each year for English-domiciled students with a 2.3% increase to maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for this academic year, and a 2.8% increase for the 2023/24 academic year.
In addition, we have frozen maximum tuition fees for the current academic year and also for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. We believe that a continued fee freeze achieves the best balance between ensuring the system remains sustainable, offering good value for the taxpayer, and reducing debt levels for students.
As well as keeping tuition fees flat, we have introduced and boosted degree apprenticeships, where, if people want to earn and learn, they can get their degrees paid for by their apprenticeship.