It’s no secret that the cost of living crisis is having a profound impact on students. They are cutting back on expenditure across all aspects of their life – doing food shopping less frequently, turning their heating off more and cutting back on spending on social activities, just to name a few.
Naturally, being restrictive in such a way, with no governmental direction indicating that this situation will improve for students, is going to take a huge toll on students’ wellbeing across the country. As your Community and Wellbeing Officer here in York, this is a huge concern to me.
Data published by the National Union of Students (NUS) in November 2022 has indicated that 90% of students say that the current cost of living crisis is having an impact on their mental health, with a quarter reporting a major impact. This includes being unable to sleep for worry of how they will manage to feed themselves, feeling anxious and depressed about their current financial state, and how this might change in the future.
Those who were most likely to report major wellbeing impacts were, perhaps unsurprisingly, from under-represented student groups – including mature students, student parents and carers, disabled students, care leavers and estranged students, and those from the lowest socioeconomic groups. Worries from students encompass their family, support systems, and local communities too, whereby they are worried about how everyone will get through this crisis, not just themselves. Interestingly, those who reported major wellbeing impacts in the NUS research were also more likely to be renting private housing.
With how much the price of renting houses has increased, especially those in bills-included contracts, is this really any surprise?
Students come to university first and foremost to study, but more students than ever before are having to take up part-time employment, multiple jobs and are applying for emergency financial aid and bank loans in order to make ends meet. This means that students have less time to prepare for teaching and also complete assignments.
As students, their first priorities and concerns should be about their academia and not about paying their rent or affording their grocery shopping. They shouldn’t be cutting financial corners and having to go without essential items. It is important that institutions and Government alike take notice of this and do all that they can to support students. At York, your Sabbatical Officers are committed to ensuring that the University provides adequate support for students at this challenging time, and are continuing to lobby for better conditions and financial support.
The strain on students’ wellbeing is likely to continue as the crisis continues, and this is concerning for me. YUSU has its Cost of Living Resource page for practical information and guides on cost of living issues, but please use our signposting guide (yusu.org/signposting) for information on how to access a range of wellbeing support.
If you are struggling with the crisis right now, please know you are not alone and that support is available for you. If you’d like to talk to someone, my inbox is always open – [email protected]. No one should suffer in silence, but especially at this additionally challenging time for all students. I am here to fight for you and help you to reach support to succeed in your academic journey, so please reach out!