Fair Access Coalition statement in response to government’s decision to increase university tuition

Fair Access Coalition statement in response to government’s decision to increase university tuition fees and maintenance loans

Villiers Park is one of 11 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. 

"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
• 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

At Villiers Park 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 welcome today's decision to increase maintenance loans for students on low incomes - but the government must go further.

Learn more about our programme and collaboration with universities