Claims that students hit hardest by government cuts

The protest organisers of the recent Free Education campaign have claimed that students are most affected by the government’s cuts.

One area in which the austerity cuts are impacting negatively upon students is the decision to take away the education maintenance allowance (EMA). It was a means-tested payment provided weekly to students aged 16-19 at schools or further education colleges. In return for attending lessons students could receive up to £30.

Because of the government’s scrapping of the EMA in late 2010, for many students being able to attend university has been made more difficult.

Carrie Barnsley, a second-year Education student at Warwick, remarked: “As I come from an area of low socio-economic status, many of my peers with the intelligence and potential to succeed in education were unable to attend due to the cost of university.

“From a personal perspective, these young people are missing out on massive opportunities, and from a political perspective, the country is missing out on talent by suffocating it.”

Around 45 percent of students qualified for the allowance in 2010 costing the government over £560m. Now the budget has been cut to £180m and redesigned as a 16-19 “bursary fund”.

The EMA still exists, however, in Scotland and Wales. Phoebe Arentsen, a second-year German and History student, commented: “I can say that, coming from Wales where the EMA wasn’t cut, I benefited massively and so did my Dad who would has struggled paying for all I needed for my course such as academic books.”

Other areas in which students are affected by the austerity cuts include those of disability and mental health services both in universities and the wider community.

The news that the government proposes to “modernise” the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) has caused many to feel angry, knowing that provisions the DSA currently pays for, such as computers for disabled students, may no longer be available.

Last year’s president of Warwick’s Students’ Union (SU), Ben Sundell, wrote a blog post in April for the SU website lamenting these cuts. He argued that “The government should not be playing around with Disabled Students Support, and universities and individuals themselves should not have to be burdened with picking up this support.”

Local authorities and university mental health counselling services across the country have also been hit by the coalition’s cuts. In addition to budget cuts, they include making diagnoses thresholds higher, so that young people have to be suffering to a much higher level before being able to access services and treatment.

Warwick Mind Aware is a group on campus which aims to campaign for awareness of mental health issues and to improve students’ general mental well being.

Speaking of the cuts, Mind Aware’s campaigns officer, Andrew McGee, said: “Students are particularly affected by mental health issues, and although the University has counselling services and societies like Mind Aware, not enough attention or funding goes towards them as it is.

“University can be a particularly lonely and difficult place for those who are suffering with issues such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders, and these cuts will only make it harder for those in need.”