I know just how difficult these past 11 months have been for university students. Covid-19 has thrown many challenging situations their way: the additional costs for alternative accommodation, loss of employment, extra costs to access their teaching online. And I have consistently raised these concerns with Education Ministers.
So, I am pleased to report that the Government has announced £50 million – on top of the £20 million announced in December – to provide financial support to those facing such difficulties. The funding will be distributed by the Office for Students directly to universities, which are best placed to assess student hardship locally and will be able to prioritise the funding to those most in need of help.
This additional support will provide real, tangible help for those students struggling financially as a result of the pandemic. And I would encourage students to contact their universities directly about the support they have in place to mitigate the difficulties of the past 11 months.
As ever, if you need my assistance or have any questions, please contact me at [email protected].
