Fair Access Coalition's response to increasing university tuition fees and maintenance loans

Against the backdrop of a record gap in university access between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their better off peers, the Fair Access Coalition released the following statement on the government’s decision to increase university fees: 

As the Fair Access Coalition, we want to see a higher education system where access is not limited by socio-economic status, but rather determined by everyone’s desire to learn and ability to succeed. We are pleased to see today’s increase to maintenance loans. Support for students on low incomes has not kept up with inflation, and this will address a significant concern for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds considering higher education.

Our experience of working with thousands of these young people means we know first-hand the extreme hardships they face as undergraduates. If the Labour government are to truly achieve their opportunities mission, they must go further and reinstate maintenance grants too.

Today’s announcement for a one-off inflationary rise to tuition fees is a necessary and welcome step. Given the number of universities in significant financial difficulty, we welcome the government's decision - tough as it may be - to support the stability of the higher education sector. Cuts to tuition fees – the value of which has consistently dropped in real terms - lead to cuts to widening participation budgets. We know this difficult decision will be crucial to protecting the widening participation funding designed to close the university access gap.

Going to university remains one of the best choices a young person can make to increase their chances of succeeding in work and life. These policies will ensure the Robbins principle that everyone who has the ability and desire to do so, is able to access higher education, becomes a reality.

About The Fair Access Coalition

The Fair Access Coalition (FAC) is a group of eleven widening participation charities and not-for-profit organisations - convened by Impetus - working to increase access into and progression through higher education, for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Fair Access Coalition Members:

  • Laura Gray, CEO, Brightside
  • Anne-Marie Canning, CEO, The Brilliant Club
  • Sam Holmes, CEO, Causeway
  • Rae Tooth, CEO, Inclusion Revolution
  • Dr Rachel Carr, CEO, IntoUniversity
  • Jonny Rich, CEO, Push
  • Nick Bent, CEO, UpReach
  • Jayne Taylor, CEO, The Elephant Group
  • Anna Searle, CEO, The Access Project
  • Gaby Sumner, CEO, Villiers Park
  • Christine Kinnear, CEO, With Insight Education

About Impetus

Impetus transforms the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, by ensuring they get the right support to succeed in school, work, and life. We find, fund, and build the most promising organisations working with these young people, providing core funding and working shoulder-to-shoulder with their leaders to help them become stronger organisations. In partnership with other funders, we help them expand, and we work to influence policy and decision-makers so that young people get the support they need. 

For media enquiries, please contact press@impetus.org.uk.

Find out more

Widening participation

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are 40% less likely to go to university than their better off peers. As co-founders of the Fair Access Coalition, and conveners of the Third Sector Forum between the sector and the Office for Students, we work to highlight the needs of disadvantaged groups.
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Educational attainment

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are 40% less likely pass English and maths GCSEs than their better off peers. We’re focussed on supporting young people to develop social and emotional skills; championing tutoring; and shining a light on chronically underserved young people excluded from school pass English and maths GCSEs, compared with 69% of all other pupils. With the right support, we can make life after school fairer.
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