University and College Union response to chancellor’s Budget statement

Responding to the Budget statement today (Monday), University and College Union (UCU) head of policy and campaigns, Matt Waddup, said:

‘Today’s budget is yet another missed opportunity to properly address the urgent financial challenges facing our education system. While the chancellor spoke of the importance of skills for our economy, instead of investing properly in further education he has kicked the pressing issue of college pay and funding into the long grass of next year’s spending review.

‘The Budget has also ignored the issues with our broken higher education funding system. The pressure is now on the review of post-18 education and funding to urgently addresses the spiraling levels of student debt and devastating impact on the current student loans system of part-time study.’