Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has confirmed university tuition fees and maintenance loans will rise by 3.1% in England from April 2025.
Fees have been capped at a maximum annual rate of £9,250 for seven years and have therefore not adjusted with inflation since the 2017/18 academic year.
Incoming students for the 2025/26 academic year will pay an increase of £285, resulting in a total annual payment of £9,535.
The Department of Education said in a press release this decision was made to “help universities cover the cost of providing education”.
In return for new funding, the Department of Education urged universities to improve their services in several areas. These include, supporting disadvantaged students, offering more flexible study options, and using their money efficiently.
“Universities must deliver better value for money for students and taxpayers: that is why this investment must come with a major package of reforms so they can drive growth around the country and serve the communities they are rooted in” said Bridget Phillipson.
Maintenance loans have also been adjusted to inflation, resulting in a rise of 3.1%. For students on the maximum maintenance loan this is equivalent to a £414 increase.
In the same press release, the Department of Education said this decision was made to help students with their “living expenses”.
These changes will impact both incoming students and those continuing their studies in the 2025/26 academic year.
When making her announcement, Phillipson stressed that graduates repaying their student loans will not see an increase in their monthly expenses.
This is due to the nature of student loan repayments, which is based on the individual’s monthly income, unlike consumer loans. The only scenario where graduates would pay more each month is if their income is higher than the repayment threshold.
When running to be leader of his party, Sir Keir Starmer promised to “abolish tuition fees”. However, in May, he made a U-turn, deciding to reallocate the proposed funds into Labour’s plans to reform the NHS.
In response to Christine Jardine, the Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, who asked why the Secretary of State had increased fees rather than holding a wider review of the entire education system, Phillipson said: “It is no use keeping tuition fees down for future students if the universities are not there for them to attend”.
Conservative Shadow education secretary Laura Trott accused Phillipson of “declaring war” on students.
She questioned: “Why was Labour not up front about the measure in its manifesto?” Adding: “It turns out they [students] will pay more”.
University fees in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are set by their own governments, not Westminster.
In Scotland, tuition fees for students from other parts of the UK remain capped at £9,250, with no announcements from Scottish Parliament suggesting this will change.
“Official portrait of Bridget Phillipson MP crop 1” by Richard Townshend is licensed under CC BY 3.0.