Students from working class backgrounds often pay higher costs when entering education beyond the age of 16, according to a report by the National Union of Students.
The Poverty Commission’s findings also revealed that working class students are most likely to have a job which exceeds 15 working hours a week – the maximum amount recommended for students while studying.
In response to the Class Dismissed report, NUS President Shakira Martin said the government “claims to be improving social mobility and tackling poverty” but “forgets to recognise how interrelated poverty and class are.”
She said: “The shocking poverty premium is only going to get worse while the system ignores the fact it penalises poorer students for being poor.
“If sources of student income fail to keep pace with inflation, working class students will continue to be hit the hardest.
“There is now absolutely no excuse for government and institutions not to act as the evidence shows that this problem is systemic and of the most serious nature. It is particularly concerning that large numbers of those who submitted evidence said they couldn’t afford heating and food.
The study also calls for maintenance grants to be reinstated, and for the introduction of a minimum living income for students and apprentices.
UUK supports the call for government to reinstate maintenance grants, targeted at students who need them the most, funded by new investment. https://t.co/ayMDuK2BpP
— Universities UK (@UniversitiesUK) April 23, 2018
Commenting on the study on Twitter, Universities UK said it “supports the call for government to reinstate maintenance grants, targeted at students who need them the most”.
The full report can be found online via. the NUS website.