Students are being given emergency food supplies and library fines are being halted as part of action by a Welsh universities to help in the cost of living crisis. Free period products, free showers, 24-hour heated study centres, and reasonably-priced hot meals are also being offered.
The measures were outlined by Cardiff, Aberystwyth, and Cardiff Metropolitan universities. They said they knew students were under financial pressure with Cardiff Met putting £500,000 on the table to help students in the cost of living crisis.
Meanwhile one-off cost of living payments are being given to staff. Those are £500 for Cardiff University staff and £750 for employees at Swansea University.
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Cost of loving crisis help offered to students in Wales
Cardiff Metropolitan University
- 24-hour heated study areas
- Free period products on campus
- Access to free shower and sport facilities
- "End of life" food from catering sold off cheaply at the end of the day
- Reasonably-priced hot meals at lunch and breakfast
Cardiff University
Emergency four-day bags of food and groceries for those who need them handed out on Fridays
- Sandwich meal deals at university catering cut by 30p
- Halting library fines
- Increased access to limited emergency payments for students
- Extending additional support for postgraduate student care leavers, young carers, estranged students, and students who served in the military
Aberystwyth University:
- Emergency food provision when needed
- Value meals in catering outlets
- Free period products on campus for staff and students and
- Planning "what space may be necessary for students or staff to keep warm should their own heating costs become unsustainable"
Swansea, Cardiff, Aberystwyth, and Bangor universities said they have increased the amount of funding available for student hardship funds for 2022-23 to reflect rising prices. The Swansea University students' union has also been running free breakfasts and is meeting with senior management soon to discuss what more can be done. The University of Wales Trinity St David said it has launched an increased £1.7m bursary scheme to support students and has set up a student money support team to help students with finance, budgeting, and applying for bursaries or external funding.
Claire Morgan, pro vice-chancellor for education and students at Cardiff University, told students in an email: “Recognising the pressure many of you will be feeling when it comes to money this year especially, I want to reassure you that financial assistance is available (subject to eligibility).”
Funding to the Cardiff University's financial assistance programme has been raised by £400,000, bringing the fund to more than £1m. More staff are being brought in to assess applications so payments and assessments can be made promptly.
Cardiff Metropolitan University said it was meeting next month to discuss any possible cost of living payment to staff. A Cardiff Met spokesman said the vice chancellor and senior leadership "are concerned about the impact on students and staff". A cost of living work group was set up to agree help that is now being offered to students. Cardiff Met said it is also helping students by removing the need to buy books and running a laptop recycling scheme and subsidised cycle hire.
Swansea University is running roadshows and guidance for staff so they can accurately tell students what support is available to students who may be struggling financially. There will also be budgeting sessions for students throughout the new academic year.
A spokesman for Aberystwyth University said: "We provide value meals in our catering outlets as well as emergency food provision where necessary; free period products across campus for students and staff; and we are currently planning what space may be necessary for students or staff to keep warm should their own heating costs become unsustainable.”
NUS Cymru president Orla Tarn welcomed all this help but said what was really needed was an increase in the loan and grants maintenance package to students from the Welsh Government and other governments.. A survey by the NUS found more than one in 10 students use foodbanks. Ms Tarn said she knows of students living on £10 a week and working full-time hours in outside jobs to fund their studies.
Ms Tarn said the financial package for Welsh-domiciled students, although more generous than across the border, only rose by 3.5% this year while inflation is nearly in double figures. “We have heard horror stories like one student with £100 left until January after paying all his bills, people living on £10 a week and working 30-40 hours a week in jobs while they study. The picture is very difficult for students.
“They come to university expecting the best years of their life but if they aren’t financially able to join groups and meet like-minded people they are going to feel isolated. For some the option will be either to join groups or eat. Cost of living is our number one priority and the main reason people are contacting us. The cost of living is also intrinsically linked to poor mental health.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “Living costs should never be a barrier to studying at university, which is why Wales provides the most generous living costs grants in the UK. This year alone we have committed to spend more than £1.6bn on schemes that target the cost of living crisis and on programmes that put money back in people’s pockets. We are using every lever that we can to help people but if we are to make a real difference to this unprecedented crisis we need the UK Government to prioritise the cost of living and help for people."
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