Dudley MP Sonia Kumar has welcomed the Government’s announcement that maintenance grants will be reinstated — helping thousands of working-class students access higher and further education without being held back by financial barriers.
In her speech to the Labour Party Conference the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson pledged to introduce new, targeted, means-tested maintenance grants by the end of this Parliament.
The move will ensure that young people from low-income households can afford to study, train, and gain the qualifications needed to power Britain’s future economy.
The new maintenance grants will support tens of thousands of students studying at levels 4 to 6, including those on university degrees and technical qualifications through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, such as Certificates and Diplomas of Higher Education.
Funded through a new International Student Levy, the initiative will ensure that income from overseas students is reinvested in the success of working-class young people here in Britain, expanding access, driving growth, and unlocking opportunity in towns like Dudley.
Ms Kumar said: “Access to our colleges and universities shouldn’t just be for a wealthy few.
"The Tories scrapped maintenance grants and kicked away the ladder from working-class kids across Dudley — and I’ve heard time and again from families who felt their children couldn’t afford to carry on studying.
"That stops now. Labour is ambitious for all our young people, no matter their background. These new grants will make a real difference for Dudley families — breaking down barriers and opening up opportunity for the next generation.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson added: “Tories treated our universities as a political battleground, not a public good. Labour is putting them back in the service of working-class young people.
"The time at college or university should be spent learning or training, not working every hour God sends. That’s why we’re bringing back maintenance grants. That is the difference a Labour government makes.”
Further details on the maintenance grants and the International Student Levy will be set out in the Autumn Statement.
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