Last week, the Stirling Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers met with local MP Alyn Smith to discuss the cost of living crisis and its impact on students.
This comes after research from the National Union of Students (NUS) revealed that one in three students are left with just £50 a month after paying rent and bills and 68% of students are no longer able to afford learning materials.
Most alarmingly, 92% of students say that the cost of living crisis is affecting their mental health and the Sabbs worry that if action is not taken soon, this will only get worse.
The Sabbatical Officers – Tash Miller, Jess Reid and Murray Bushell – hope to work closely with MP Alyn Smith to advocate for students at a local and Westminster level.
Union President, Tash Miller, told Brig: “Alyn Smith was very receptive to our call for action and was supportive in our efforts to alleviate the pressures on students.
“Students have routinely been left behind by the government and we are calling on them to take urgent action to protect students, especially over the winter months… we need student finance uplifts, energy bill relief into our pockets – not our landlords – and more access to hardship funds.”
Tash also revealed that The Union is currently working towards a cost-of-living support package that will be available to students this winter.
Stirling MP Alyn Smith added: “I’m deeply concerned the UK Government has been asleep at the wheel in recent weeks over the cost of living crisis facing Stirling, Scotland and the rest of these islands.
“The student community especially face a difficult autumn and winter, as energy bills blow a huge hole in budgets.”
While Alyn Smith assures that Stirling will do everything in its power to tackle this crisis, he believes that it is down to the UK Government to “get serious”: “We need to see real action from the new Prime Minister – now is not the time for half measures.”
Featured Image Credit: Stirling Students’ Union
News Editor at Brig Newspaper
Fourth year Journalism Studies at the University of Stirling
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