Student Finance: ‘I can’t enjoy student life until I get a job’

Details on contacting universities’ student money advisers are on their websites.

Most have hardship funds and many offer freebies.

Swansea University said it had seen a 2.5% increase in applications for its hardship fund this year compared to the same time in 2023.

Last year it was up 10% on the previous year.

It has introduced a one-off accommodation payment of £750 in response to rising rental costs.

At Cardiff Metropolitan University, the maximum hardship fund award has gone up to £2,000 to recognise increased costs.

There is a “Come dine with Met” campaign to help build knowledge and skills around eating cheaply and healthily, and awareness-raising sessions to respond to increased exposure to the risks of gambling and cryptocurrency.

Cardiff University Students Union officer Catrin Edith Parry urged new students to contact the union money adviser or the university if they find they are struggling with money.

“We do our scheme called Feed your Flat – that gives people the opportunity to come here and get five free items of food and essentials for their home”, she adds.