Uni student works 70 hours a week and 'lives off toast' as student loan 'not enough'
A 20-year-old student from London is working a staggering 70 hours a week alongside his university studies just to keep a roof over his head.
Despite not having a paid job, Kyle Stevens, 20, dedicates his time to a horror film production, which provides him with free rent but no wages.
To make ends meet, he relies on a monthly student loan of £240, which he must allocate towards food and travel expenses.
Juggling his studies in content media and film production, Kyle is forced to miss out on social events and tightly control his spending.
His current accommodation is temporary and now he is struggling to afford a student rental to stay to complete his third year of study in September.
Kyle said: "Most days at university I skip meals - even going as far as to live off toast for weeks on end."
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The financial strain has taken a toll on his mental health, leading to anxiety and difficulty even opening his banking app.
His dietary restrictions due to his type 1 diabetes further complicate matters, as he must opt for the cheapest bread available, which negatively impacts his health and increases the number of hospital visits.
Kyle explains, "Obviously, this makes me ill, and plays a huge part in the number of times I go to hospital, but it's between that and not eating that week."
Despite receiving a maintenance loan of £6,000 per year from Student Finance, Kyle claims it falls far short of covering his essential expenses, including potential rent, food, and travel costs to the hospital and university.
He does not receive any additional financial support from his parents and spends a significant amount, up to £60 per week, on travel to the hospital for his diabetes tests.
Kyle's current accommodation is temporary, and he is struggling to afford a student rental to complete his third year of study starting in September.
Reflecting on his situation, Kyle said: "It wasn’t the experience I expected to face or wanted to face. I don’t get to live the student life, and instead I live in a constant anxious state."
He believes that the maximum loan amount of £9,250 per academic year, which he qualifies for due to his parents' unemployment, is still insufficient for students to live on.
Kyle said: "Even the maximum loan is not enough for a student to live on. If you work it out, they give you roughly minimum wage. That doesn’t really make ends meet, especially when you are a student on a full-time course with the hours of study they expect."
Kyle's health issues, including frequent hospital visits and dietary restrictions, have further exacerbated his financial struggles.
As diabetes is no longer considered a disability for benefits, he must bear the additional costs of hospital visits and tests.
He spends a significant portion of his income, between £40 and £60 per week, on transportation for work, hospital visits, and university travel.
Despite the challenges he faces, Kyle is also concerned about other students who may be in a similar position.
He believes that many students remain silent about their financial struggles, considering it a taboo topic.
Offering advice to those facing similar challenges, Kyle says, "To those struggling, it may be hard but keep at it. It is going to be difficult for quite some time. Try not to give up, ask people for help, don’t be afraid of that. Find a way to keep pushing forward."
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