A recent Students Beans Housing Insecurity Report has found that 11% of current students ‘have found themselves without a place to live during their studies’. This comes following a survey of 3,000 university students launched in October of this year was commissioned to assess the extent of the cost of living crisis and its effect on student housing.
The survey also found that one third of students admit to facing housing insecurities during their time at university – 33% of which say their university ‘didn’t do enough to support them, despite being aware of their situation’.
In response to the finding of the report, Students Beans has launched a government petition to extend the cost of living payments offered to almost 4 million households to include all students in higher education.
The campaign video can be found following this link.
The Chief strategy Officer for Student Beans, Will Harris, commented that: “Students have consistently been left out of decisions and announcements made by the government and it’s time they acknowledge that those in higher education need better support”
He continued: “Bodies like student finance allocated their means-tested handouts earlier in the year, unable to predict the true crisis students are currently facing. The government has a responsibility to support our young people, just as they are pledging to support other vulnerable groups in the UK.”
70% of UK universities claim it is the government’s responsibility to support students facing such a crisis. This is why, Student Beans claims, the petition to to the government and not individual universities.
The Vice Chancellor at Sheffield announced an additional £3 million in support funds to to ‘help students and all levels with additional costs’. More information on how Sheffield University could support you can be found here.
