Labour’s Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has revealed plans to reinstate means-tested grants for university students from low-income backgrounds. Phillipson emphasized the importance of accessibility to higher education for all, not just the affluent, and pledged swift action within the current Parliament term. The grants, previously available to students with household incomes below £25,000, were discontinued by the Conservative government in 2016 and replaced with loans by then Chancellor George Osborne.
Addressing the Labour party’s annual conference, Phillipson criticized the Tories for politicizing universities and reiterated Labour’s commitment to serving working-class youth. She announced the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants for students pursuing priority courses at levels four to six, including undergraduate degrees. These grants will be funded through a new levy on international students attending English higher education institutions, with further details expected in the upcoming Budget.
In response, University College Union’s General Secretary, Jo Grady, expressed concerns about using international students to finance maintenance grants, calling for increased public investment in education instead of burdening foreign students. Conversely, Dani Payne from the Social Market Foundation welcomed the initiative, highlighting the impact on students’ affordability and social mobility.
The move to reinstate grants for the neediest students reflects Labour’s efforts to make higher education more accessible and inclusive.