Labour has announced plans to reinstate means-tested grants for the most financially disadvantaged university students, according to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Phillipson emphasized the importance of making universities accessible to all, not just the affluent, and pledged to implement these changes before the conclusion of the current parliamentary term. Previously, the Tories had eliminated university maintenance grants in 2016, replacing them with loans, which particularly affected students from households earning less than £25,000 annually.
Addressing attendees at the Labour annual conference, Phillipson criticized the previous government’s approach to higher education, stating that Labour aims to prioritize working-class youth in university access.
The new grants will target students pursuing “priority courses” at levels four to six, covering qualifications such as certificates of higher education, higher national diplomas, and undergraduate degrees. Funding for these grants will be sourced from a levy on international students attending English higher education institutions, with further details expected to be revealed in the upcoming Budget.
In response to the announcement, University College Union (UCU) General Secretary Jo Grady expressed concerns about using international students as a revenue source for maintenance grants, emphasizing the need for substantial public investment to improve educational infrastructure.
However, Dani Payne from the Social Market Foundation welcomed the initiative, highlighting the financial challenges faced by many students and the importance of supporting those from lower-income backgrounds to pursue higher education and technical qualifications for enhanced social mobility.