Are students set for rent refunds on digs?

UNIVERSITY students could receive rent refunds while the new lockdown keeps them away from campus, Boris Johnson said yesterday.

Many undergraduates face the prospect of being stuck at home until the summer term after a government scientific advisor warned against staggered returns to campus.

This would lead to many young people spending hundreds on accommodation in halls of residence that are off-limits to them.

Speaking at yesterday evening’s Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson said he ‘will have to look at’ the issue.

But he stopped short of pledging taxpayer cash to give students a rent refund – instead vowing to put pressure on institutions.

He said: ‘We will be looking very carefully at what is happening to students as a result of what is happening to their courses being postponed – and the absence of tuition that they would expect. What we hope is they would get online learning which would allow them to continue with their degree courses.

‘But clearly there are going to be issues to do with the cost of their accommodation which we will have to look at as a Government – and see what arrangements the universities are making to deal with the reasonable concerns of many, many students.’

The statement came after Michael Tildesley, associate professor in infectious disease modelling at the University of Warwick and a member of Sage’s modelling subgroup, said online learning would have to continue throughout the spring term. Earlier plans to stagger students’ return to campus would only serve to create an ‘elongated’ epidemic, he argued, and the only way to deal with the new strain of Covid-19 is to close off campuses. He told The Times’ Higher Education Supplement that preliminary evidence research showed ‘all that the staggering will do is spread out your infection throughout the term’.

Students studying medicine and health-related subjects, education and social work can remain on campus after starting this week, but those learning other subjects must stay away. The National Union of Students’ Vice-President for Higher Education Hillary Gyebi-Ababio yesterday said: ‘The impact of yet another lockdown on students’ education and welfare will be severe, and ongoing disruption means students are struggling to make ends meet. Students need substantial support.’

The NUS is calling for rent rebates and early- exit options for tenants.