Student leaders 'shocked' by cuts to hardship fund

Welsh student leaders say they are "shocked" that funding for students in financial difficulty is being cut. Ministers had given universities £2.1 million (US$3.48 million) a year for the Financial Contingency Fund but now say higher tuition fee income means institutions can afford to fund the scheme themselves, reports BBC News – Wales.

The National Union of Students, or NUS, said the funding was "vital". However, £7 million is still available and some universities are understood to be launching their own schemes. The average pay-out to students who are successful in applying is about £400.

The NUS said the funding was "vital" to allow many students to stay in education. NUS Wales President Beth Button said: "I am truly shocked that our government in Wales has taken a page out of the Westminster playbook and decided to scrap hardship funds for higher education."
Full report on the BBC News Wales site