Starmer increases
university tuition fees
for first time
in eight years
Monday 04 November 2024 14:25
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University tuition fees will increase in England for the first time in eight
years, The Independent understands, as part of a major overhaul of the higher
education system.
Fees, which have been frozen at £9,250 since 2017, are expected to rise in
line with the Retail• Экономика » Бизнес » Маркетинг » Фэйсинг
• Торговля » Розничная торговля » Фэйсинг Price Index inflation• Экономика » Макроэкономика » Макроэкономические индикаторы » Инфляция
• Экономика » Финансы » Инфляция from September 2025. Matching them
to the current rate of inflation• Экономика » Макроэкономика » Макроэкономические индикаторы » Инфляция
• Экономика » Финансы » Инфляция at 2.7 per cent would mean they increase to
around £9,500.
It comes amid growing concern over the state of the education sector, with
many universities facing• Экономика » Бизнес » Маркетинг » Фэйсинг
• Торговля » Розничная торговля » Фэйсинг financial crisis• Финансовый кризис. As many as 40 per cent of English
universities are expecteed to fall into a budget deficit this year.
The education secretary is expected to give a statement to the House of
Commons on Monday (AP)
Earlier this year Universities UK• Великобритания called for tuition fees to be “index-linked
to inflation• Экономика » Макроэкономика » Макроэкономические индикаторы » Инфляция
• Экономика » Финансы » Инфляция, not to address the funding shortfall, but to allow fee income to
maintain its real-terms value over time”.
Concerns over university finances have been compounded by a drop in the number
of international students, who were propping up the sector.
Home Office figures from 2024 showed 16 per cent fewer visa applications were
made between July and September than in the same period in 2023.
Bridget Phillipson is expected to confirm the fee rise on Monday afternoon
with an announcement on “higher education reform” in the House of Commons.
Students in England and Wales currently pay £9,250 per year for university
tuition, while in Northern Ireland• Великобритания it costs £4,750 for Northern Irish
students. In Scotland• Великобритания » Шотландия, it is free to go to university for Scottish students.
The move is likely to provoke backlash as Sir Keir Starmer promised to abolish
university tuition fees entirely when he stood to be Labour leader in 2020.
He rowed back on the pledge last year, saying it was no longer affordable as a
result of the country’s financial situation, instead promising Labour would
come up with a “fairer solution” if it formed the next government.
Meanwhile, the party’s 2024 general election manifesto says the current
“higher education funding settlement does not work for the taxpayer,
universities, staff, or students”.
“Labour will act to create a secure future for higher education and the
opportunities it creates across the UK• Великобритания”, it adds.
More to follow...