The country continues to face a cost of living crisis that is having a detrimental impact on university students. The Student Academic Experience Survey (2023) showed that 76% of university students feel that the cost of living crisis has affected their studies.

Maintenance loans have only increased by 2.8%, but this falls short of the current rate of inflation which was 10.7% as of January 2023. Outrageously, rent for student accommodation has increased by an average of 14.6% over the past two academic years, according to a new report from Unipol and the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi). With such high rates, rent now swallows up almost all of the average maintenance loan. Back in June, Hepi found that 55% of students are now relying on paid work, compared with 45% in the previous year. The impact on students is clearly huge and we believe you deserve more support during this crisis at a government and university level.


Work we're Doing

As your Students’ Union, we are working proactively to help reduce the financial and mental burden caused by the crisis. From lobbying the University to running our own initiatives, there are a number of different ways we are working to support you through this challenging period.

We've put together this hub to let you know what support is available and to keep you up-to-date on our Cost of Living Action Plan.

University work

Maia Jarvis, SU President (2022/23) lobbied the University to ensure the extenuating circumstances policy fully supports students and covers ‘ financial hardship’ as a reason for ECs. Read Maia's blog post to find out more.

Shrijeet Shrey (VP Education, 2022/23) lobbied the University to remove hidden costs when courses are advertised. You're already paying a significant amount of money to study so it's only fair that you're aware of all of the costs that come up before you decide to sign up.

Check out the University’s Cost of Living Hub.

If you're struggling financially, the University can help. Find out what support is available from the university.

As a Royal Holloway student, you can benefit from discounted childcare with Bright Horizons based in Englefield Green between 07:30 and 18:00. With full and part-time priority places agreed for Royal Holloway students, hopefully this will lighten the load.

Union Initiatives

Free period products, STI kits and pregnancy tests are available in the Advice Centre on the first floor of the Students’ Union building – you can pop in and pick them up between 10:00-16:00, Monday-Friday.

We run loads of events across our venues to help you enjoy the social side of university life. To help make things more affordable, we run a number of offers across the week - from £1.95 drinks at Toast to double down deals on food and drink at The Packhorse every Tuesday. This year, we've also introduced Thursday 3s and Saturday 7s at The Packhorse - two nights targeted directly at combating the impacts of the Cost of Living Crisis on your disposable income. Take a look at what's on with our events calendar.

If you’re looking to develop a new skill, flex your creative muscles, or simply unwind after a day of lectures, you’ll find something in our calendar of Give It A Go events. These are smaller-scale events (many of which are completely free) that are predominantly alcohol-free and focused on you meeting new people in a fun, relaxed and welcoming environment. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie, culture vulture or just love a bit of art and craft, we'll have something for you.

This year, we introduced our brand-new app RHSU Order which you can use across our venues (Tommy's Kitchen, Medicine, The Packhorse, Union Shop and the SU Venue) to order, collect points and earn rewards that can be redeemed against future food and drink purchases. You can download the app from Google Play or the App Store.

We know that sometimes the cost of joining a student group can feel overwhelming, especially if your budget is tight. We also know that joining a student group can be one of the most rewarding parts of university life. It can introduce you to new people, perspectives and passions, and we’re really keen to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience that. That is where our Student Group Access Fund comes in - you can request up to £150 each academic year if you need it, to cover things such as group membership fees, kit and competition entry.

Whether you're on committee or a member of a club, check out this blog on how to overcome financial barriers when getting involved in a student group.

Community

Our Advisors have put together an article that covers some of the costs that come when searching and signing for a house so that you know what to expect when you start house-hunting! You can also book an appointment with the Advice Centre to help you budget for the year ahead, especially when you're considering signing up for a new house.

Launched in February 2012, the Runnymede Foodbank is led by the Beacon Church with assistance from other churches and groups in Runnymede & Weybridge, including St John’s Church, Egham; Addlestone Baptist Church; Kings Church, Addlestone & St James’ Church, Weybridge. They aim to provide a lifeline for those experiencing financial hardship, who are desperately short of food. Reach out to the Advice Centre to get your voucher.

We've secured a discount from LOVESPACE who can provide solutions for all your storage needs. All you need to do is head to their website and enter the code RHOL10 at checkout.

Work With Us

Each year, we employ hundreds of students in paid part-time positions across the Union to help us achieve our aims: improving your education, making campus fun, looking after your wellbeing, making you more employable, and empowering you to change the world around you. Check out our Work With Us page for the latest opportunities. The Careers page on the Student Intranet is also a great place to find jobs and get help with applying.

National

Find out more about NUS's national campaign that is calling for rent controls, free transport, paying apprentices the living wage and increasing maintenance loans with inflation.


Cost of Living Action Plan

University

Action Progress
Lobby for a student job strategy In progress
Improved university financial wellbeing webpages Complete
Explore out-of-term storage options that are cost-effective Complete
Explore cost-effective options for childcare for parents and carer students Complete
Explore possibility of loyalty card at Cafe on the Square Not started
Careers service to offer targeted support for international support in applying for part time jobs In Progress

Community

Action Progress
Explore discounts for students with local bus companies In progress
Promote the local support services that are available Not started
Lobby the council to stop charging part-time students council tax In progress
Reach out to local businesses to see if they can offer student discounts Complete
Reach out to local businesses about offering part-time jobs to students In progress
Lobby to become able to distribute food bank vouchers from SU Advice Centre for Runnymede Food Bank Complete

Student Opportunities

Action Progress
Host an event for student groups to discuss ideas around the cost of living crisis Complete
Ensure cost of living is listed as a criteria point within the student group funding framework Complete
Conduct an analysis of the cost of student group memberships and ensure this is reflected in the amount you can apply for from the Access Fund Complete
Promote ‘hidden costs’ for student groups Complete
Create a student group events calendar Complete
Deliver a secondhand sale at the end of the year for kit, household items etc. Not started

Union Initiatives

Action Progress
Promote the RHSU Loyalty Card which is a way for students to get money back when spending in our venues Complete
Run a Student Money campaign Complete
Collect student testimonies and data to aid in lobbying and campaign work Complete
Introduce regular cost of living tips in the SU newsletter Complete
Run a free lunch event Complete
Explore the possibilities of expanding the access fund to other SU activities Not started

National Campaigns

Action Progress
Join the national campaign on increasing student maintenance loans with inflation Complete
Reach out to our MP for their support regarding increasing maintenance loans with inflation and support for students In progress

 

Share your story

Share your top tips

 

As we deliver on our Action Plan aims, we will keep you and this page updated so keep an eye out!


free Events

Double Yellow Lines @ The Packhorse
6th December 8pm - 10pm
The Packhorse
Who doesn't love a bit of live music? Pop down to The Packhorse for some Friday night toe-tapping. Whether you're warming up for the SU or just fancy a night at the pub, we'd love you to join us.
Bars and Nightlife | Free | Music and Film | The Packhorse | Night | Food and Drink | Featured
Publympics
8th December 5pm - 11pm
The Packhorse
Get down to The Packhorse and show what you're made of! All of our pay-to-play games are free from 5pm every Sunday.
Bars and Nightlife | Free | The Packhorse | Night | Food and Drink | Featured
Student Group Drop-Ins
9th December 2:30pm - 4pm
Students' Union
Are you a committee member of a Sports Club, Society or Media Outlet? Got any questions or concerns you would like to discuss? Come to our Student Group Drop-ins and have a chat with Josh and Will!
Free | Societies | Sport | Day | Student Opportunities
Xmas Toast
9th December 10pm - 2:30am
Medicine
Get down to Medicine for your weekly dose of party tunes and £1.95 drinks! It's cold outside but the dance floor is hot, hot, hot tonight! Round off 2024 in style and dance until you're screaming ITS CHRIIIIISTMAAAS!
Bars and Nightlife | Free | Societies | Night | Medicine | Toast


get involved in the campaign

Whether you've got an idea we could work on, want to be involved in some of our discussions, or want to share a student testimony from your own experiences in the cost of living crisis that will aid us in our lobbying agendas, please get in touch by emailing voice@su.rhul.ac.uk.

 


Latest updates

Cost of Living Crisis - Local Student Discounts

Tue 15 Oct 2024

We know how difficult it is to manage expenses as a student, particularly with the ongoing Cost of Living Crisis. We put together a list of shops that offer discounts, suggestions on how to save money, financial wellbeing tips and more!

 
Cost of Living

Fri 04 Oct 2024

SU-Supporting-You

We understand that university life often comes with financial challenges. This blog is packed with advice and suggestions on how to make the most out of your university experience while keeping an eye on your finances.

 
Hot Topics: Cost of Living

Thu 27 Jun 2024

What are the major political parties promising when it comes to the cost of living crisis? Find out in our blog!