Students From Less Affluent Backgrounds Being Priced-Out Of New Accommodation

The high cost of accommodation is pricing-out students from less affluent backgrounds, the SDLP has warned.

SDLP Education Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA has reiterated his concerns about the cost of student accommodation in Northern Ireland, which has already been labelled a "crisis" in the South.

Mr McGrath has said that more and more students in the North are having to commute long distances from home because accommodation prices are simply unaffordable.

The MLA for South Down said: "The rental cost of student accommodation is rising and becoming more unaffordable for many students. The cost of student accommodation in the centre of Belfast is as high as £1,600 per month. These rising costs mean that those students whose parents cannot afford to subsidise their rent are being priced-out of the full University experience.

"University is more than merely an academic exercise; it gives young people a chance to experience new things and gain independence by living away from home for the first time.

"Therefore, it is vital that more help is provided to students from less affluent backgrounds to ensure they can experience everything University has to offer, without the stress of commuting long distances to and from University, especially during exam times."

(MH/CM)