Council tax exemption for families who have children in FE or HE is also set to be a thing of the past

Historically parents of low income families have had the opportunity to offset their council tax against the prospect of their children attending FE/HE instiutions. The CSR has changed all that; the end of Local Education Authorities is near. As a result of this, their powers to issue grants and underwrite the policy of students being exempt from paying council tax is set to disappear. One massive reason for this is the 300% increase in tuition fees for university students that will price out the poor from attending universities and widen the gap between the haves and the have nots. Universal education in the United Kingdom is set to change forever.


University fees may rise to £9,000

Press Association 3/11/2010


Universities Minister David Willetts announced proposals to raise the tuition fee cap to £6,000, with institutions able to charge up to £9,000 in "exceptional circumstances."

He told MPs: "We believe a limit is desirable and are therefore proposing a basic threshold of £6,000 per annum, in exceptional circumstances there would be an absolute limit of £9,000."

Students currently pay £3,290 per year in tuition fees.

No publicly-funded university will be able to charge more than £9,000 for undergraduate courses, Mr Willetts said.

Institutions who impose fees of more than £6,000 will have to take part in a £150 million National Scholarships scheme - a bid to ensure that poorer students are not priced out of higher education.

The National Union of Students has previously called plans to effectively treble tuition fees "dangerous", warning that there is a risk students will be unable to afford to attend England elite universities.

NUS president Aaron Porter said earlier that they would also "saddle a generation with huge debts before they have even got on their bikes to find work".

In an oral statement, Mr Willetts told the Commons that the Government wanted to see universities offering scholarships to targeted students, which would mean their first year at university is free.

Institutions charging over £6,000 will also face new sanctions requiring them to offer outreach activities to attract poorer pupils, as well as financial support.