Labour’s Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has revealed plans to reinstate means-tested grants for the most financially disadvantaged university students. Phillipson emphasized that higher education should not be limited to the affluent and pledged to implement the changes before the end of the current parliamentary term. The grants, previously available to students with household incomes below £25,000, were eliminated by the Conservative government in 2016, replacing them with loans under Chancellor George Osborne’s austerity measures.
Addressing Labour’s annual conference, Phillipson criticized the Tories for politicizing universities and affirmed Labour’s commitment to serving working-class youth. She outlined the government’s intention to introduce targeted maintenance grants for students pursuing priority courses at levels four to six, encompassing qualifications like higher national diplomas and undergraduate degrees.
Funding for these grants will be generated through a new levy on international students attending English higher education institutions, with further details to be disclosed in the upcoming Budget announcement. While the University College Union expressed concerns about this funding approach, advocating for increased public investment in education infrastructure, the Social Market Foundation welcomed the initiative as a crucial step towards enhancing social mobility.
The move to reintroduce maintenance grants aims to alleviate financial burdens on students from low-income backgrounds, ensuring equitable access to higher education and technical qualifications. This development signifies Labour’s efforts to address the affordability challenges faced by many students and promote inclusive learning opportunities.