Labour’s Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has declared the reimplementation of means-tested grants for the most financially challenged university students. Phillipson emphasized the need for universities to cater to a wider demographic and pledged action within the current Parliament term. The grants, previously available to students from households earning under £25,000, were eliminated by the Conservatives in 2016, replacing them with loans under the austerity measures led by George Osborne.
During the Labour Party’s annual conference, Phillipson criticized the Tories for politicizing universities and not prioritizing the needs of working-class youth. She highlighted the importance of restoring support for financially disadvantaged students and unveiled plans for targeted maintenance grants for students pursuing priority courses at levels four to six, including higher national diploma qualifications and undergraduate degrees.
Funding for these grants will be sourced from a new levy on international students attending English higher education institutions, with further details expected in the upcoming Budget. The move drew mixed reactions, with the University College Union expressing concerns about the financial burden placed on international students to fund local initiatives, while the Social Market Foundation praised the initiative for assisting low-income students in accessing higher education and technical qualifications, promoting social mobility.
