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Fri, 21 Aug 2026

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 More students planning to live at home for university over 'insane' living costs

Students like Jessica say they worry about missing out on student life, but feel they have no choice but to stay at home.

* Over 81,000 UK 18-year-olds plan to live at home while attending university this year.
* This represents one in three students who submitted accepted university applications.
* The trend is rising across the board, with Scotland seeing 48% of applicants planning to live at home and Wales seeing just 20%.
* Students cited the rising cost of living as a major factor in their decision to stay at home.
* Two friends from St Helens, Beatrice and Amelia, will be commuting to university instead of moving into student accommodation due to costs.
* Student Jessica feels she will miss out on campus life due to the high price of renting and long commutes.
* The Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) estimates that students need £61,000 over three years for a "minimum socially acceptable standard of living" excluding tuition fees.
* Rent prices in university-owned accommodation have risen sharply, with average weekly costs ranging from £140 to £338 depending on location.
* Many students are eligible for maintenance loans, but the average annual price of a room on campus is increasing faster than loan income.