Since 2010, my experience teaching in higher education has consistently highlighted a troubling trend: the necessity for students to undertake paid work, often exceeding 20 hours a week in low-wage retail or hospitality roles. This reality was starkly illustrated in a recent report noting that over half of UK students are working extensive hours just to make ends meet (More than half of UK students working long hours in paid jobs, 13 June).
The absence of maintenance grants for students from less affluent backgrounds severely impacts their educational experience and overall wellbeing. Juggling extensive work hours with academic commitments demands almost superhuman dedication. I recall one student who would rise at 4:30 a.m. to open a Pret a Manger before attending classes and graduated with top honors. Another managed to balance his role as a pub manager, often closing late into the night, while consistently attending classes on time.
Yet, not all students possess such extraordinary resilience. Many are struggling to cope, and the growing presence of on-campus food banks is a testament to this crisis. In response, I’ve worked to secure stipends from our hardship fund to help students cover basic necessities like rent and food.
Reinstating means-tested maintenance grants is essential for shifting the focus back to education rather than mere survival. The Augar Review of 2019 proposed a £3,000 annual grant for the most disadvantaged students—a recommendation that the Conservative government has yet to address. The Sutton Trust has urged the next government to reintroduce these grants, increase the overall maintenance amount, and broaden eligibility. Although Keir Starmer has expressed support for such measures, the Labour party is currently assessing its stance based on the financial legacy it inherits from the Conservatives. Meanwhile, the Green Party advocates for the restoration of maintenance grants.
Originally designed to ensure “equality of access and educational opportunity for all, with no financial deterrents” (Dearing inquiry, 1997), student grants were a cornerstone of fair education. It is imperative that we continue to strive for this ideal.