The UK’s student housing crisis is deepening, with new data revealing that nearly a third of students are struggling to meet their housing costs — and an increasing number are being forced to rely on food banks to get by.
A recent report from the National Union of Students (NUS), supported by organisations such as Save the Student and Shelter, has painted a stark picture of the student experience in 2025. As rents continue to rise faster than maintenance support, many students are being pushed to the brink.
The NUS says that 17% of students have used food banks in the past academic year, a significant increase from previous years. Others have reported skipping meals, working multiple part-time jobs, or moving back home in order to survive.
At the heart of the crisis is a combination of rising rents, a shortage of purpose-built student accommodation, and inadequate financial support. In many cities, student rents now exceed the maximum maintenance loan available, leaving students to rely on parents, overdrafts, or additional jobs.
The issue is particularly acute in university cities such as London, Manchester, Bristol, and Glasgow, where housing demand far outstrips supply. Students have reported sharing bedrooms with strangers, commuting long distances, or living in substandard conditions because they cannot afford anything else.
Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, former Vice President for Higher Education at the NUS, described the situation as “unsustainable.” She said the current model of student housing “is failing young people across the UK” and warned that unless urgent action is taken, access to higher education could become a privilege only for those who can afford it.
The NUS is calling on the government to review and raise the level of maintenance support in line with inflation and rent costs. They are also urging universities to invest in more affordable on-campus accommodation and to better support students experiencing financial hardship.
The student-led housing pressure group ‘Rent Strike UK’ has also renewed calls for rent caps, increased transparency from private landlords, and stronger regulation of student lettings.
Some universities have responded with short-term measures, such as emergency hardship funds or rent freezes for university-owned halls. However, students and campaigners argue that these efforts are not enough to solve the structural issues affecting housing affordability.
The crisis is not just affecting students’ finances, but also their wellbeing and academic performance. A recent Student Minds survey found that housing stress is one of the top three issues negatively impacting student mental health in the UK.
As the general election looms, student organisations are pushing to make housing reform a national priority. Many are demanding a long-term plan that treats student accommodation as a vital part of the education infrastructure — not an afterthought or a source of profit.
For now, students across the country are being forced to make difficult decisions just to stay in education. As one second-year student at a London university put it: “I never thought I’d be rationing food or living in a converted cupboard just to get my degree.”