Petition · past parliament · Department for Work and Pensions

Make Universal Credit accessible for Students that lost their jobs due to COVID

Closed 44 signatures

What the petition asks

Most Students are not allowed to access the Benefits system. 1 in 7 students relies on work to pay for the cost of living while studying, but many employers are making people redundant because of covid. Students working part-time jobs are likely to be the first ones to be fired.
If financially independent students are made redundant, the only financial support they have is the Student Maintenance Loan. The amount of Maintenance loan for students living in London is £12,010. The average 2020 rent in London is somewhere between £700 and £780 for a "decent place" where to live. Yearly rent for £780 p/m: £9,360. This means that IN A YEAR, the disposable income is £2,650 and that students are expected to live off £220.83 p/m, in London.

Timeline

10 Dec 2020 Petition opened for signatures
10 Jun 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 44
Status Closed
Department Department for Work and Pensions
Opened 10 Dec 2020
Closed 10 Jun 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.