Award-wining Buckinghamshire New University and Bucks Students’ Union have reiterated their joint commitment to doing everything possible to ensure BNU meets the growing financial needs of its students so they can have a fulfilling university experience.
A new report launched (12 August 2025) by the Higher Education Policy Institute, A Minimum Income Standard for Students, has outlined various recommendations to meet the minimum budget needs of UK students, including significant reform of the student maintenance support system.
BNU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Damien Page said: “Today’s report is a stark reminder to the UK higher education sector and policymakers about the critical importance of student maintenance support. It’s important to us that our learners can both survive and thrive at BNU, particularly as many of our students are first in family to go to university and don’t have access to financial support from their families. Ahead of the Autumn Budget, we call on the Government to strongly consider whether the student maintenance support system is meeting students’ needs.
“We work closely with Bucks Students’ Union to look for new ways to make student life more affordable. Our award-winning work together demonstrates a commitment to lead from the front in helping students make the very most of their university experience. We’re proud to educate the next generation of nurses, social workers, entrepreneurs, innovators, creatives, lawyers and business leaders and take our responsibility for their valuable contribution to society and the economy very seriously.
The measures already taken by BNU with the support of Bucks Students’ Union include:
- Enabling all students, irrespective of their income, to participate fully in university life with free access to recreation, sports and skills development through the Big Deal initiative, which offers monthly savings of up to £200 to those who take advantage of everything on offer.
- Adopting the Real Living Wage for students employed by the University and SU.
- Running a programme of free breakfasts, lunches and evening meals, targeted to each campus’ student profile to maximise benefit and impact.
- Introducing free student parking on campus
- Awarding contract for catering on campus to the Students’ Union to offer low price, high quality food choices for students
- Free inter-campus travel
- Providing free products to tackle period and hygiene poverty in BNU bathrooms.
Bucks’ SU’s Chief Executive, Tristan Tipping, said:
“We read the HEPI report with great interest. Some of the findings and figures were eye watering, but not entirely unexpected. At Bucks SU, we’re proud that our institution works so hard to make university life more affordable. They understand the realities of the student journey and invest heavily in the welfare of our members, and I don’t know many universities who are doing more to relieve the burden of modern life for today’s learners. We’re really excited about working in further partnership with Buckinghamshire New University to see what else is possible on our campuses to support our diverse community of learners.”
BNU and Bucks Students' Union are proud for the recognition of their sector-leading student support at the WhatUni Awards, by HEPI, and to have been crowned as the best university for student support.