The cost of living crisis means more young people are earning while they learn. But that could be good for more than their bank balances
Despite the stereotypes of university students living in ivory towers, they’re affected by the cost of living crisis like everyone else. New polling from the Sutton Trust last week showed that 63% of students are spending less on food and other essentials, while a full third of working-class students have skipped meals.
Getting help from parents was high up the list of coping strategies, which probably isn’t news to those of you with children. But 27% of students also reported having got a job or increased their working hours. Obviously financial pressures are bad, but the survey prompted a wider reflection because an increase in students working would actually be bucking the trend of recent decades.
