Rising tuition fees: has the Government betrayed the trust of young people?

In February 2020, during the leadership race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn, Sir Keir Starmer recommitted Labour to its pledge of abolishing student fees. “Labour must stand by its commitment to end the national scandal of spiralling student debt and abolish tuition fees,” he said at the time. Yet, in 2024, Labour increased tuition fees to £9,535. It follows that students and young people are wary of what this could mean for their futures: Starmer insisted in 2023 that any fee increase would be to undo “the damage that has been done to our economy”, and that the abandoning of the pledge would be to prioritise NHS spending. Is it fair that students must pay the price for a failing economy?

In 2012, the cap on tuition fees rose from £3,225 to £9,000. In 2017, the cap increased to £9,250, which has remained in place for seven years. Theresa May defended the necessity of this fee increase to fund universities in the hopes that they would diversify the system, “perhaps offering shorter courses…offering courses under the maximum of the fee.” Generally speaking, though, this has not been the case. In fact, we are seeing the opposite effect. Universities have been calling on the Government to increase tuition fees relative to inflation for years now. The new £285 increase in tuition fees might, therefore, mark the start of a movement to reform the university system.

High tuition fees are already making young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, hesitant to attend university

However, we have no reason to be confident in this. If tripling tuition fees in 2012 has made no major change in universities, why should a £285 increase make any difference, especially when vice-chancellors around the country believe that fees of £12,500 are necessary to meet teaching costs?

High tuition fees are already making young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, hesitant to attend university. Even an increase of a couple of hundred pounds should not be underestimated. Earlier this year, UCAS waived their application fee for students receiving free school meals, knowing that a one-time payment of around £30 can be a deciding factor in whether a young person can go to university, or whether their family can buy groceries for the week. Data shows that the gap between disadvantaged students and their peers by age 19 is the highest on record regarding progression to university, and greater tuition fees will only increase inequality. NUS Vice President Liberation & Equality, Saranya Thambirajah, commented: “Firstly, we know that working-class students are likely to be the most debt averse: and so an increase to the amount of debt someone accumulates over their student lifetime while giving more money with one hand, could also serve to put people off even entering higher education in the first place.” The increased costs will have long-lasting effects on many students, and an increased maintenance loan is not enough to compensate for it.

While the Government argues that this is necessary for economic recovery, it risks deepening inequality and calls into question the value of higher education

It is important to note, however, that historically, the rapid increase in tuition fees has not deterred many disadvantaged students from attending university. Data shows that: “Compared to 2006, 18-year-olds living in disadvantaged areas across the UK were substantially more likely to apply for higher education in 2015,” and in England, this was an increase of 72%.  This is partly due to the fact that many professions today require a university degree, meaning that students feel pressured to attend university regardless of the cost. Hence, this prompts the question: when will increased tuition fees become unsustainable for students, and are they paying more for a less valuable education?

Many students at the University of Warwick today feel as though their education is not worth what they currently pay for it. Some say they are not getting the support that they need from university staff, and that they do not have enough in-class teaching. Students from some departments must pay for books that students in other departments receive for free since the university cannot afford to pay for them all. Many think that the university spends too much money on things that do nothing to benefit its students. This appears to be the case for universities all over the country, and despite rising tuition fees, it seems the rate of university attendance will remain the same or even increase.

The rise in tuition fees places a greater financial burden on students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. While the Government argues that this is necessary for economic recovery, it risks deepening inequality and calls into question the value of higher education. To combat inflation, tuition costs are likely to keep increasing, but major improvements to the university system cannot be guaranteed.