'NI students choose between heating or eating'

Students in Northern Ireland are skipping meals due to the cost of living crisis, a recent survey has revealed.

The survey, from NUS-USI (National Union of Students NI) also showed that over half of those surveyed had gone without heating.

"For some students it really is a choice between heating and eating," a student welfare officer at Queen's University Belfast told BBC News NI.

With some students struggling financially, universities are now introducing initiatives to help support them with the cost of living crisis.

The Pantry at Queen's is one of those initiatives - a free food refill station for students.

It started in 2022 and has seen an increased rise in demand with roughly 5,000 people using the service since September.

The survey, of over 600 students and apprentices in Northern Ireland, found that 19% have accessed a foodbank in the last year, a 12% annual increase.

Muphuselban is studying for a master's degree in science at Queen's and uses the Pantry.

"My breakfast is solely dependent on the Pantry," Muphuselban told BBC News NI.

"The foods I get in the Pantry I find very costly in supermarkets and I can spend my money on other things.

"Using the Pantry keeps me healthy – I can eat more of a range of foods because I'm not worrying about cost.

"I have to work, I have assignments to do."

Another initiative to help students with the cost of living is the Swap Shop which opened about two months ago.

The shop allows people to swap one item of clothing for another.

"Its main purpose is sustainability but it also has a big cost of living element," Jess, a welfare officer at Queen's Students' Union told BBC News NI.

"Half of students only have £100 left after they've paid their rent per month, for a lot of people that's not including bills.

"For some students it really is a choice between heating and eating – buying new clothes is just out of the question for a lot of people which is why the Swap Shop is a good idea."

Jess believes more needs to be done to fill the gap after students have paid for their essentials and "control the spiralling costs of rent".

Of those surveyed, 44% admitted they have difficulty paying housing costs.

And 92% of respondents reported issues with their housing, including mould and infestations.

Chris Murray represents students at Ulster University's Coleraine campus.

"The cheapest purpose-built student accommodation in Belfast is £550 a month, that's not even covered by a student loan so how does the government expect students to eat?" he asked.

"Sometimes students are paying for a contract that they can't get out of, having to move home to their parents' house which could be hours away just to get free meals."

Financial difficulties are having an impact on student's studies too.

The survey showed 22% of students have missed class because they can't afford the price of public transport to get there.

Chris said that is also affecting student's mental health.

"The stress surrounding 'Am I going to eat my next meal?' is going to impact a student's ability to focus, concentrate and do their studies...any stress surrounding the cost of living would have just taken up all my mind," Chris said.

Speaking about the survey results, NUS-USI president Ben Friel said: "It's simply unacceptable that so many students are struggling to afford basic necessities like food and rent.

"We're seeing a generation of students building credit card and loan debts just to keep a roof over their heads.

"These alarming rates of student poverty are not normal."