UK Parliament home

This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament

View other petitions from this Parliament

Closed Make students eligible for government cold weather payments.

Closed on

Student maintenance loans have only increased by 2.3% which falls short of inflation, leading to students struggling with the cost of living. The current cold weather poses a significant risk to students' health as some cannot afford their heating - they should be eligible for cold weather payments.

The National Student Money survey identified the vast impact of the rising cost of living on students. Some key findings were:
- The average maintenance loan falls short of covering the cost of living by £439 a month, and the average student's parents contribute £150 a month.
- Bills are the third most significant cost for students and are the area of spending which has increased the most since 2021.
- 52% of students have considered dropping out due to finances.

203 signatures

Show on a map

10,000

Petition progress

View all updates for this petition, with the most recent first.

  • Related activity

    Share your experience of increases in the cost of living for further and higher education students

    On Tuesday 19 September, Paul Blomfield MP will lead a debate in Parliament on the impact of increases in the cost of living on further education (FE) and higher education (HE) students.

    To inform the debate, he would like to hear how students and their studies have been impacted by any cost-of-living pressures. He may quote your contribution directly during his debate.

    Find out more and share your ideas with him by midday on Monday 18 September:

    Videos of the debate, the transcript of what was said, and other relevant material will be accessible shortly after the debate on this webpage.

    What are Westminster Hall debates?

    Westminster Hall is the second Chamber of the House of Commons.

    Westminster Hall debates give MPs an opportunity to raise local or national issues and receive a response from a government minister. Any MP can take part in a Westminster Hall debate.

    Debates in Westminster Hall take place on ‘general debate' motions expressed in neutral terms. These motions are worded ‘That this House has considered [a specific matter]'. This means that Westminster Hall debates don’t end in a vote on a particular action or decision.

  • Petition closed

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 13 June 2023.