In England further education students are forced to work excessive hours in insecure jobs to support themselves and their families and falling behind with their studies, and struggling in extreme poverty.
FE colleges say that they are seeing students in “financial desperation”. Due to the cost-of-living crisis, often students are seen dressed in the same clothes for days on end and struggling at home where family tensions and domestic abuse are at a rise.
There has been a noticeable drop in attendance with students giving up altogether. Students are forced into lawbreaking due to financial destitution and increased concern with regard to sexual exploitation and criminal acts of the most vulnerable students.
The report indicates students requesting financial support has had a huge increase. 95% of the 16- to 18-year-old groups of students have applied for financial aid this year compared with 65% last year, at Hartlepool College.
Years of collective funding cuts in FE has led colleges to face a dearth of resources to sustain the growing needs of students, many of whom are faced with mental health issues, reported by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for students.
Young students from deprived backgrounds are much more likely to study in an FE college and FE students are more likely than their peers in higher education to have qualified for free school meals.
According to a survey, 21% said the main issue was transport, 23% said the main cost pressure was energy and 72% said they were facing costs that were putting them in financial difficulty.
Paul Blomfield, the APPG chair and Labour MP for Sheffield Central, said, an opportunity should be provided by further education for skills development and social mobility. However, most of the young students and adults who might benefit most from further education and training are now- because of the cost-of-living crisis- less likely to take up opportunities to study, attend courses and achieve their potential.
The National Union of students (NUS) vice- president for FE, Bernie Savage said, it was shocking to know that in 2023 students and apprentices had no other options but to leave education because they could not afford to continue their studies and placements.
A spokesperson from the Department of Education said, this academic year, we have increased the 16-19 financial fund by more than 12% to over £152m. helping deprived students who couldn’t afford to purchase books, equipment, and trips where needed.
Overall funding was also increased with an extra £1.6bn in 2024-25. Which is the biggest increase in 16-19 funding in a decade.
