When 20-year-old Lucy* moved to university two years ago, she didn’t expect to be juggling three part-time jobs in order to survive. Or that she’d have to skip meals when money was tight.
Most recently, the rising cost of basic necessities has led to Lucy having to go without washing her clothes when she can’t afford laundry detergent, or using hand soap when she runs out of shower gel.
With inflation set to hit 18.6% by January – the highest rate in almost half a century – the Institute for Fiscal Studies is warning that financial support for students is falling short. Maintenance loans are set to rise by just 2.3% over the next academic year.
