March 2026
Prioritising potential, not paperwork: University lifts support allowance to 拢6,000
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- Prioritising potential, not paperwork: University lifts support allowance to £6,000

By Claire Huggins
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蜜桃传媒 has boosted its Cost of Living Allowance to 拢6,000.
Building on the inaugural year of this sector-leading support, the University has strengthened its commitment to breaking down barriers to higher education and making student support guaranteed, simple and impactful.
Its Cost of Living Allowance now stands at an impressive 拢6,000 for new UK undergraduates, starting a three-year degree in September 2026.
The allowance is paid in instalments over the duration of the course and is non-repayable, non-means-tested and deliberately easy to access, with no complex forms or long waits for confirmation.

Study without the struggle
Students who have already received instalments of the allowance this year have seen the difference it makes. They recognise and value the guaranteed support the allowance offers. One first-year business enterprise student was clear:
鈥淭his allowance has helped in many ways but mostly, I was able to reduce my working hours and focus more on my studies.
鈥淭his had a huge positive impact on my education and work-life balance. I am able to focus and prioritise my education, make more time for studying and limit my weekly working hours.鈥
Another student, studying events management, added:
鈥淚t鈥檚 helped me afford everything as my student loan isn't enough.鈥
"It is about widening participation, removing barriers and ensuring that talent, not background, shapes our students鈥 future."
Professor Michael Harkin Vice-Chancellor and Principal
Real impact for real life
The bold uplift flies in the face of the wider policy environment, which has offered little relief for students. Despite rising living costs, the Spring Statement delivered no new measures on maintenance support, the student loan system or targeted cost-of-living interventions, with the national media describing the situation as a 鈥溾 for students.
Last year, UCB conducted its own research that showed an anticipated average increase in everyday expenses of 拢34 per month across the UK, while NatWest鈥檚 2025 NatWest Student Living Index revealed that a third of the students they polled had made compromises and cutbacks on eating, heating and going out.
鈥淎s long as the cost of living for students remains challenging, the pressures facing young people will not go away. At 蜜桃传媒, we see this reality every day,鈥 said Professor Michael Harkin, Vice-Chancellor and Principal.
鈥淩aising our Cost of Living Allowance to 拢6,000 is a deliberate choice to stand with them.
鈥淲hether it鈥檚 spent on travel costs, IT equipment or mobile bills, the allowance is there to help widen access to higher education and ensure students can concentrate on achieving their goals.
鈥淚t is about widening participation, removing barriers and ensuring that talent, not background, shapes our students鈥 future.鈥
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