The rent university students pay for halls of residence has risen by 60% over the past decade to reach an average of £7,347, surpassing the reach of the average student maintenance loan, a survey shows.
A survey of nearly 500,000 beds in student halls shows that rents have been steadily creeping up, with prices 4.4% higher than last year, and 16% higher than before the pandemic. As a result, many students are forced to work part-time alongside their studies, live at home or seek help from family to make ends meet, since average maintenance loans, which are also intended to cover living expenses, are £6,900.
The report from the National Union of Students and housing charity Unipol warns that the cost of rent for student rooms is rising far more rapidly than inflation, that there is a growing scarcity of genuinely affordable rooms and that choice is narrowing as private halls providers, which now operate the majority of student housing, focus on offering luxury studio apartments, often aimed at international students, rather than cheaper alternatives.
London is especially…
