Real impact for real life

The bold uplift flies in the face of the wider policy environment, which has offered little relief for students. Despite rising living costs, the Spring Statement delivered no new measures on maintenance support, the student loan system or targeted cost-of-living interventions, with the national media describing the situation as a “perfect storm of economic challenges” for students.

Last year, UCB conducted its own research that showed an anticipated average increase in everyday expenses of £34 per month across the UK, while NatWest’s 2025 NatWest Student Living Index revealed that a third of the students they polled had made compromises and cutbacks on eating, heating and going out.

“As long as the cost of living for students remains challenging, the pressures facing young people will not go away. At University College Birmingham, we see this reality every day,” said Professor Michael Harkin, Vice-Chancellor and Principal.

“Raising our Cost of Living Allowance to £6,000 is a deliberate choice to stand with them. 

“Whether it’s spent on travel costs, IT equipment or mobile bills, the allowance is there to help widen access to higher education and ensure students can concentrate on achieving their goals.

“It is about widening participation, removing barriers and ensuring that talent, not background, shapes our students’ future.”