Cost of Living: What We're Doing to Help
Tuesday 05-12-2023 - 10:28
Written by Josh Newsham
Josh is Vice President Welfare at LUSU. Josh is the lead for the Liberation and Campaign Officers Forums, and also sits on University Council.
The Cost of Living Crisis is, and always has been, an ongoing issue for students.
By the nature of the funding students receive, they are constantly left to foot the bill for increased costs, from rent to groceries. In the last two years, the average student loan has increased by just 5.2% (surprisingly one of the biggest increases ever), yet inflation rose by 21%.
That is a real term cut of £1,500 to the average income of a student.
The reality is that many students are having to work long hours, far above that which is advised alongside your degree. Thanks to your involvement in our Question of the Week: Student Working Patterns, we presented to University Council the impact this extra work is having on your education and wellbeing.
Your President and I have been working hard over the last few months to campaign for an affordable campus for all, and some of our proposals have been accepted! This term we will see the full reintroduction of the LUSU Pantry, and next term we will see the return of LUSU Supper Club (even bigger and better than ever).
While this took tremendous work to achieve, it should not have had to. Students deserve real change. You deserve affordable homes, education without financial barriers, to thrive socially without worrying about when the next loan comes in, and most importantly - to be listened to when you say you are struggling, without judgement from those you are asking for help.
As an Officer team we will continue to advocate and fight for these principles in every space we exist in. But we can't do this without you. We need you to join us in our campaign for an affordable, good quality experience for all students.
What can you do?
- Sign the petition to increase student maintenance loans.
- Come get involved in our "Write your Christmas Wishlist to the Vice Chancellor and to the Government" session at out FTO Festive Grotto, at the LUSU Christmas Markets.
- Help us evaluate and prove the impact of this crisis to the University by filling in surveys and telling your story.
With your support, myself, the Officer team, and LUSU will always fight to bring all the support we can for students, to get through the Cost of Living Crisis together.
If you have been affected, need help, or just want to chat things through, don’t hesitate to get in touch with SU advice, or drop me a DM on @lusuwelfare.
