NI students forced to choose between ‘heat or eat’

A recent survey revealed that students in Northern Ireland are skipping meals because of a life crisis.

The NUS-USI (National Union of Students NI) survey also showed that more than half of those surveyed had gone without heat.

“For some students it really is a choice between heating and eating,” a student welfare officer at Queen’s University Belfast told BBC News NI.

With some students struggling financially, universities are now introducing measures to help with the cost of living crisis.

Pantry at Queens is one of those initiatives – a free food raffle station for students.

It launched in 2022 and has seen a spike in demand since September, with around 5,000 people using the service.

A survey of more than 600 students and apprentices in Northern Ireland found that 19% had accessed a food bank in the past year, a 12% year-on-year increase.

Muphuselban is pursuing a Master of Science degree at Queen’s and uses the pantry.

“My breakfast is completely dependent on the pantry,” Mafsilban told BBC News NI.

“The food I find in the pantry is too expensive for me in supermarkets and I could spend my money on other things.

“Using a pantry keeps me healthy – I can eat lots of food because I’m not worried about the cost.

“I have work to do, I have assignments.”

Another initiative to help students with living expenses is the swap shop that opened about two months ago.

The store allows people to exchange one item of clothing for another.

“The main aim is sustainability but there’s also a great value for money element of living,” Jesse, a welfare officer at Queen’s Students’ Union, told BBC News NI.

“Half of students are left with just £100 per month after paying rent, for many that doesn’t include bills.

“For some students it really is a choice between heating and food – buying new clothes is out of the question for a lot of people which makes a swap shop a good idea.”

Jess believes more needs to be done to bridge the gap after students pay for their essentials and “control rising rent costs”.

44% of those surveyed admitted that they have difficulty paying housing costs.

And 92% of respondents reported problems with their housing, including mold and infestations.

Chris Murray represents students at Ulster University’s Coleraine campus.

“The cheapest student accommodation in Belfast is £550 a month, which is not even covered by student loans so how does the government expect students to eat?” he asked.

“Sometimes students are paying a contract they can’t get out of, having to go to their parents’ house which can be hours away to get free food.”

Financial difficulties are also affecting students’ studies.

The survey showed that 22% of students skip class because they cannot afford public transport to get there.

Chris said it is also affecting the mental health of the student.

“The stress around ‘Am I going to eat my next meal?’ A student’s ability to focus, concentrate and do their studies is going to be affected…any stress related to the cost of living would have taken my mind off it,” Chris said.

Speaking about the survey results, NUS-USI President Ben Friel said: “It is absolutely unacceptable that so many students are struggling to afford basic needs such as food and rent.

“We’re seeing a generation of students who are racking up credit card and loan debt just to keep a roof over their heads.

“These alarming rates of student poverty are not uncommon.”