Open letter on the cost of living

During my Officer year, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were still very much being felt. We found that the the largest impact on our students was the rising ‘cost-of-living’, which made it difficult to balance study, work and their budget whilst economic instability caused prices to rise .

After receiving proposed rents for the 2023-24 academic year with minimal consultation as to the SU’s views, I decided that we should publish an open letter, comparing the University’s planned ~7% increase in rents to the government’s ‘forecast inflation’ of 2.8% which goverened their increase to grants and loans.

Coordinating with the 5 other officers, we jointly published a letter highlighting that students were struggling – and that something needed to be done.

We received an open response 6 weeks later. Some firm commitments were made, including: pledging to increasing the student bursary budget, doubling the hardship fund,  recognition of the need to provider wider support, not just for those in university accommodation.