Unite Student Applicant Index reveals a rise in part-time student workers

A recent Unite Students Applicant Index survey has revealed that over 87% of students plan to work alongside their studies due to financial fears, while just 22% believe they will have sufficient money at university.

Despite annual increases in maintenance loans in line with inflation, as announced in October 2025, these findings indicate continued financial anxiety. These pressures have been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, which has continued to drive up living costs.

According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), food prices have risen by 4% over the past year. This increase has led many students to seek work to manage their financial pressures.

A 2025 Bristol Students’ Union report has found that part-time work has reduced the time students spend with peers and has increased their fatigue

This issue, while a nationwide problem, simultaneously worries Warwick students: one student told The Boar that “working during term time is not optional, it’s an inevitable part of university life”.

However, despite these pressures, recent policy changes have begun to support working-class students: education Secretary Bridget Philipson has announced the return of additional maintenance grants for lower-income students studying “priority courses that support the Labour government’s wider mission to renew Britain” by 2029.

However, this policy change does little to help students already facing financial anxiety. Thus, the financial pressures of current students continue to be neglected.

As a result, students have missed out on important social opportunities, limiting their overall university experience: a 2025 Bristol Students’ Union report has found that part-time work has reduced the time students spend with peers and has increased their fatigue.

Financial pressures have therefore remained a significant factor shaping contemporary student life.