Monday 31-07-2023 - 14:29

Taya, your Group President, led our Cost of Living Campaign – which aimed to flag issues impacting students and provide our members with timely support.

Over the year, Taya has worked with the Union, University, and members of the Government to achieve the following:
 

University Rent Freeze

The University has agreed to rent-freeze for the highest quantity rooms in University-owned student accommodation for 2023/24 – this means that rent next year will be the same as this year.

Free Period Products

Students on Carmarthen, Lampeter, and Swansea campuses have access to free sanitary products and contraception through our pick and mix units located in your campus!

You can access your nearest pick and mix units in:

Swansea - Students' Union Office

Carmarthen - Students' Union Office

Lampeter - Students' Union Office

Cardiff - Student Print Area

London - Student Services Desk

Breakfast Mornings

We ran breakfast mornings in Carmarthen every Wednesday in March 2023. Providing over 100 students with delicious, nutritious, and most importantly free food!

Hot Drink Vouchers

160 vouchers for in-campus cafes were handed out across Carmarthen, Swansea, and Lampeter to give students a boost in the morning or whenever they needed a hot drink! Taya has also acquired 5000 vouchers to be given out across London, Birmingham, and Cardiff in the new academic year 2023-24!

BBC Interview

Taya did you proud in an interview with BBC Wales. Talking alongside the University, the interview discusses the impact of the Cost of Living crisis on students.

The interview covers the support available to students at UWTSD right now - from new bursaries to food hubs to well-being support and £1 meal deals.

Read the full article

Letter to MPs & MSs

We've written to MPs and MSs. We believe that further meaningful action needs to come from our Governments. That's why your Union Presidents have written to Members of Parliament and Members of Senedd on your behalf in October 2022.

Ben Lake has met with Taya Gibbons. They discussed the impact the cost-of-living crisis is having on students and following their discussion, Lake has made some enquiries on the various government support that is available to students, and he has provided us with information. We will be covering the information in this article!

Sioned Williams stated their support for a demand of action from Westminster and the Senedd. We are awaiting further details from their office.

Student Maintenance Support 

The Welsh Education Minister has announced that the Welsh Government will be increasing student maintenance support by 9.4% for the 2023-2024 academic year. For full-time students, this equals to an additional £1,000 in support.

The UK Government has also said that the increase to the maintenance support for English students will be increased by 2.8% next year.

Visit the student maintenance support webpage for more information.

Government Support Schemes

Students currently residing in privately owned rental accommodations can benefit from the UK Government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS). If students pay their energy bills directly to a domestic supplier, they should receive the £400 automatically in monthly instalments. It is £400 per household, and not per individual.

For students whose bills are included in their rent; Most should still be able to receive support under the scheme.

The Energy Prices Act 2022 states that a “pass-through requirement” is a requirement to secure that the benefit of energy price support provided to an intermediary is passed on to end users of the intermediary by a specified time”.

Ben Lake adds “In summary, if the tenancy agreement allows the landlord to increase energy charges, and they have increased the charges, then the student tenant should receive the payment. If the landlord has not increased the charges, or if the tenancy agreement prevents them from charging extra, it is possible that the student tenant will not be eligible”.

Pass-Through Requirement Regulations – Template Letter

Ben Lake has given us a template letter that the Government has made to help student tenants who believe they are entitled to the support. This letter can be sent to your landlord. This letter can be sent to your landlords.

Download the template letter