P-04-610 Reverse the Cuts to Hardship Funds in Universities

The hardship fund given to Universities by the Welsh government, the Financial Contingency Fund, has been cut for 2014/15. We believe this to be a damaging decision and call on the Welsh government to reverse the cuts immediately. This vital fund provided financial support to thousands of students who found themselves in difficulty mid-way through the year, and with no other means to support themselves. Without this fund, many students will be unable to afford to study, entrenching social inequalities in Wales' education system. The announcement that the Fund is to be cut also breaks a promise Assembly members made to students in 2011 whereby they signed an NUS Wales pledge not to cut the Fund. We, the undersigned, want the Welsh Government to know that we will not accept broken promises and further cuts to our education system.

Additional information

For more information on why NUS Wales is calling for the reintroduction of the financial contingency fund, visit: http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/news/article/wales/Students-shocked-at-Welsh-Government-scrapping-university-hardship-funds/

Assembly Candidates who signed the NUS Wales Access all areas pledge in 2011: http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/asset/News/6156/Cefnogwyr-Supporters.pdf.

Petitioner :  Beth Button/ NUS Wales

First considered by the Committee: 9 December 2014

Number of Signatures: 134