A student says she has to buy cheap food in order to afford rising rents as tenants face increasing pressures amidst the housing crisis.
Students on average pay £535 per month in rent, compared with £485 received in loans for living expenses. The average rent for student accommodation has increased in the last decade, making it increasingly difficult for students to cover living costs.
Armine Eroglu, Criminology and Law student, says: “I have to sacrifice the quality of my food in order to afford living 20 minutes away from uni, …the bills are now too high so rent is too high, …cost of living is wild”.
Soaring house prices and a shortage of affordable homes available for purchase or rent are seeing more renters struggle to make ends meet.
The government has been criticized for not doing enough to tackle the housing crisis, with calls for increased investment in affordable housing and reforms to the rental sector.
The crisis has also drastically affected students, who are struggling to find suitable and affordable accommodation while studying at universities across the UK. According to an estimate by National Housing Federation and Crisis from Heriot-Watt University around 340,000 new homes would be needed per year, of which 145,000 should be easily affordable.
Additionally, many universities do not have enough on-campus accommodation, forcing students to search for private rentals that are often unaffordable or of poor quality.
University of Huddersfield student Sinan Aldulaymi who lives in private halls in Huddersfield called Kings Mill studios says: “I am an international student, the way I pay for my rent is by my parents sending me the money in advance, … from what I have heard I do feel lucky enough to not have to work to get by, but I know a lot of my friends need to work to pay rent and have money to survive uni”.
Many people who need to support themselves continue to struggle to find suitable housing. For students studying, this leaves them at risk of financial hardship and homelessness. Leaving them to choose between university and being able to survive.