Cost of Living

• This will be paid via your energy provider in instalments from October 2022 to March 2023.
• Direct debit and credit users will receive these as bill credits.
• Prepayment customers will have money applied to the meter or via voucher.

• Support will be paid direct to your bank via DWP or HMRC depending on which benefit you receive.
• This will be delivered as two lump sums, one in July 2022 and one in Autumn 2022.
• Qualifying benefits are Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (both from HMRC), Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Income-based Employment Support Allowance, Income Support and Universal Credits.
• This additional support is tax free, not included in the benefit cap and will not impact any other benefits you receive.

• Paid in September direct to your bank which you receive benefits into.
• Qualifying benefits are Armed Forces Independence payment, Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Scottish Disability Benefits and War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement.
• Again, the support is tax free, not included in the benefit cap and will not impact on any other benefits you receive.

Low Income Winter Heating Assistance (Scotland)

• Eligible households in Scotland will get an automatic £50 payment in February 2023.
• Payments will be made into the bank account which you receive benefits into.
• Qualifying benefits are Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Income-based Employment Support Allowance and Income Support, Pension Credit and Universal Credit.
• This replaces the Cold Weather Payment which is currently still in place throughout the rest of the UK.

Cold Weather Payment (Rest of UK)

For the Cold Weather Payment, the benefit eligibility is the same but to receive it the temperature in your area must be or be forecast to be –0 degrees celsius or lower for seven consecutive days between 1st November and 31st March each year. The Cold Weather Payment is only £25 but could be paid on more than one occasion.

The UK government extended the Household Support Fund until the end of September 2022, which was aimed at providing additional support for the lowest income families. In England this is administered via local councils but in Scotland this has been split into benefits and grants/voucher schemes.

Home Heating Advice Scotland have the overview of the energy support available in Scotland, which is aimed at those with significant financial hardship. To access help via this scheme applicants must have taken professional energy/money advice from an accredited agency. As such the most effective way to access this is via a partner referral. Information on partners involved can be found on the link below:

Partnership Directory – homeheatingadvice.scot

The Scottish government have announced that this scheme will now run until March 2023. Support may take the form of a direct payment or an energy voucher. This fund aims to support those in need regardless of the type of fuel/meter or payment used. To find out more they have a useful FAQ page for those who feel they may need this support.

In England, a further £500 million support has been announced to come in from October 2022 to March 2023 and again this will be administered via local councils. If you are unsure if you may qualify for this, contact your local council for support.

A budget is possibly the single most important tool for effectively managing your money, so if you’ve never created one before, now is the time. It helps you compare your income to your outgoings, allowing you to see when and where you might need to adjust your spending, in order to make ends meet.

We have a webpage devoted to helping you prepare a budget and prioritise your spending. Visit our budgeting and planning webpage here.

If you’re new to creating a budget, we have tools to help you do this -

• UWS Budgeting Module– This is a web-based tool aimed at home students that takes you through the process of preparing a budget.
• UWS Prepare to Study in the UK – This is a web-based tool designed exclusively for those students joining us from outside the UK. It will help you understand more about money and the cost of living in the UK, and will take you through the process of preparing a budget.

If you are the type of person who already uses a budget to stay on top of their finances, now is the time to review this.

Income changes and the amount you pay for bills can always fluctuate, now more than ever, so it is important to update and review your budget regularly. If you are regularly spending more on certain items than your initial budget allowed for, reassess your situation and adjust your budget, or your expenditure, accordingly.

Visit our budgeting and planning webpage here for help reviewing your budget.

Your lifestyle choices will have a massive impact on your budget. There are no rules about what you should or shouldn’t spend your money on but when times get tough and income doesn’t stretch as far as it once used to, we often need to take a step back and reflect on this type of spending.

When it comes to lifestyle spending, the information and tips available on our dedicated webpage will help you make choices that are right for you, and keep this at an affordable level.

A great way to invest in yourself is by working part-time during your studies. Not only will this help pay your bills, but it will help develop the skills and experience future employers will be looking for. Graduate recruiters highly value work-experience, including part-time work, so this could be a great boost for your CV! We have some great tips on getting a part-time job while you can explore opportunities on our vacancy portal. 

Even during times where we are trying to watch our budget and spend less, you will still inevitably need to buy things sometimes. It could be for a gift or perhaps a special occasion. You might need clothing or items for university. This too can be approached in a money-saving way.

As a student you are a key target market for a lot of retailers. Just having a student ID can often secure you a discount in most shops and online retailers. Always check for this before you buy. Signing up for a TOTUM card can secure you additional discounts or try buying via a student focused web retailer like Unidays or Student Beans.

If you have a gift to buy (and you aren’t crafty or good at home baking) try discount sites such as Groupon, 5pm.com, Itison or Living Social. You sign up and receive regular email updates on a wide range of gifts, meals and experiences that can be bought for a discount.

Remember as a student you can get free access to Microsoft 365 and Adobe (only for specific courses that require Adobe as part of the curriculum). Do not buy these products, use your student email to sign up and get this for free. Our ITDS FAQ pages detail some of this for you and you can also ask your course leader if there is a program or suite you need that is more specialist. However, do take into account that a lot of specialist software needed for some courses can be accessed on campus, or remotely using a VPN, meaning you can access the required software without having to buy your own copy.

You will see on this link too that we run a digital hardship scheme. If you find yourself without a laptop or other essential IT kit and have difficulty in being able to replace or repair yours due to hardship, we have options to be able to borrow or secure one from UWS.

When thinking about buying tech, make sure you only buy things you actually need. Ask your course lead what you require and do research using sites such as PC Mag or Techradar before you rush in and buy something.

When you sign up for a good or service such as Amazon, Spotify or even Apple look for any student discount plans. Do really think about whether you need services or goods before buying them and be sure to budget for anything you do sign up to.

The price CAP is a maximum rate that a company can charge you on standing charges and unit rates.

Standing charges are a fixed daily charge that you pay regardless of your energy usage

Unit charges are the price you pay per unit for gas or electricity you consume (measured in kilowatts per hour KWh)

The new price guarantee is £2500 per year for someone with typical use and this will extend until October 2024.

As the cap is on these specific areas and not your bill, it doesn’t mean your bill can’t be higher than £2500. The amount of energy you use will determine your overall bill. This typical figure just helps with illustrating the cap and how it might operate. If you use less energy, your bill will be lower. To help you with a more meaningful figure, Money Saving Expert has developed a calculator you can use. If you find energy bills confusing and aren’t sure where to get the information you need, you may also find their article on Energy Bills Explained helpful.

This is an existing government scheme which provides a £150 relief on energy costs for pensioners and those in the broader group which is where some students may qualify.

Warm Home Discount Scheme: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

In Scotland, the energy suppliers themselves manage the support for the broader group and not all suppliers are signed up to the scheme. They have a limited number of discounts they can apply and you will need to be on a qualifying benefit to count as a member of the broader group.

The best way to access this is to go to your own suppliers’ website and type Warm Home Discount into the search bar. There is also a list of energy suppliers on the link above where the hyperlinks will take you directly to the webpage you need.

In England for the coming year, they have made a change and those on qualifying benefits who are deemed to have high energy costs will receive their £150 automatically. The high energy use is based on data from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Ofgem have advised that BEIS are working on a calculator so homes can work out their eligibility.

Some energy providers operate charitable trusts to assist their customers who find themselves in the greatest hardship. Usually, you will need to be a customer of the company with the exception of British Gas who can provide support to a wider group.

To access this level of support you will need to be already in debt and taking advice from either an energy or debt specialist. You may also need to be on a qualifying benefit. To find out more, take a look at item 3 in this Money Saving Expert article on What to do if you are struggling to pay your energy bills.

Joining the Priority Services Register may assist you if you or someone in your household is pregnant, has young children or a disability or long-term health condition. The support offered is non-financial but can provide valuable assistance, for example in the event of a power cut.

Learning to read your meter properly and getting into the habit with this will assist you to keep on top of your energy use and bills and also help you to make sure you are being charged correctly. Citizens Advice have a good guide with pictures to get you started. Using this and learning how to understand your energy bill will help you to ensure that any charges you are given are just.

Whilst as consumers we have no control over the current energy crisis, working on reducing energy consumption within the home is something we can all work on. This is one of the few things we can do that can help reduce the bills we receive.

Basic tips -:

• Switch off lights and don’t leave devices on standby
• Use your microwave rather than your oven where possible as it uses up to 25% less energy
• Use LED lightbulbs when replacing bulbs
• Close curtains at nighttime
• Use cheap draught excluders to keep heat in your rooms
• Take shorter showers and choose a shower over a bath
• Wash clothes at low temperatures and try to only use full loads in your washing machine or dishwasher
• Do not use a tumble dryer, it uses a staggering amount of energy
• Lower your thermostat and familiarize yourself with your heating controls to ensure you aren’t heating your home when it would be more efficient to turn it off

These tips are all taken from Energy Saving Trust – Quick Tips to Save Energy

Other things to look into are whether or not you and your home qualify for any government support to improve energy efficiency. Home Energy Scotland can assist with this and there is lots of information available on their Reduce Energy Bills page. The Energy Saving Trust have similar support for students who live in England to review.

Due to the current energy situation, Money Saving Expert have updated their Energy Mythbusting page and created a page called Heat the Human Not the Home. Both of these pages have tips to help you keep warm and reduce the energy use in your home and are well worth a read.

At UWS we have a very diverse student population and how much a family or individual will spend on their food shopping will vary from household to household. A family of four will have very different spending needs and habits than a household made up of one student living independently for the first time.

We want to save you money whatever your circumstances, and have pulled together a range of resources on our dedicated Food webpage to help you do this, whether you are a seasoned householder or complete shopping novice.

Learning to cook and planning your meals can save you lots of money in the long run, if it’s done right.

Use our Meal Planner to plan your weekly menu, prepare your shopping list and work out what you have in the fridge or freezer that needs used up.

Check out our Afoodable Guide and The Afoodable Guide: The Sequel to get you started. These cookbooks feature lots of tips for gaining confidence and saving money in the kitchen, and ideas for keeping your costs down while eating well.

According to Love Food Hate Waste, the average UK household throws away £720 of food per year. Whilst no one means to be wasteful, that is a lot of money for most households. Visit our dedicated Food webpage for more advice on how to make the most of the food you buy and cook and how to make it stretch that little bit further.

In some circumstances you may find yourself in need of additional support and there are a wide range of organisations available to help.

Food pantries and larder schemes have been launched in lots of communities and you may find this a helpful way to keep food costs down. These are run by community groups and offer low-cost food for a small membership fee. The food is usually distributed by an organization like FareShare and it stops good surplus food going to waste.

As these schemes tend to be run by voluntary or charitable organisations there isn’t a national directory as such. However, looking on local Facebook pages and on community notice boards in large supermarkets like Tesco and Morrisons may be an effective way to find out about pantries close to you. You can also look in community spaces such as libraries, village hall notice boards etc.

In Renfrewshire you can find a roundup of these from Engage Renfrewshire’s helpful webpage.

In Glasgow here are a few that cover a broad base of the city:

• Glasgow Community Grocery
• Northwest Community Pantry
• Good Food Scotland
• Govanhill People’s Pantry
• Locations/Scottish Pantry Network

In Lanarkshire the following organisations may be able to assist with community shops/pantry schemes:

• The Pantry - Hamilton Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Hillstop Cafe, Hamilton
• Homepage - Communities Together
• The People's Pantry | Facebook

In Dumfries and Galloway:

• The Pantry at River of Life | Facebook

In London the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) have a round-up of all food support in the Tower Hamlets area.

• Tower Hamlets food support - March 2022 update

Community Fridges also help redistribute good quality food in local areas. Unlike a pantry or larder scheme, the items in these fridges are usually free and can be taken if you find yourself in need of something urgently. The Community Fridge Network has an interactive map where you can find your local support.

You may find that via UWS or another agency supporting you, you are offered a Foodbank referral. A Foodbank is a charitable organisation providing emergency food to individuals and families who need it. Lots of different people are referred to foodbanks and the staff work hard to make them welcoming places to visit. A foodbank provides up to 3 days of food to help cover circumstances where a person has no access to food or funds. This is why it is a referral-based system, so that the support can be offered in a joined-up way. You will often find that other agencies provide support from within the foodbank such as clinics from the local Citizens Advice Bureau. To find out more about foodbanks and how they work read the information on the Trussell Trust website.

In Term 1 of Academic Year 2022/23, UWS is offering all students on our Ayr, Lanarkshire and Paisley campuses a free breakfast every Tuesday and Thursday, between 8.30am and 9.30am, to help them fuel up for the day ahead.

At UWS we are here for our students, and this initiative ensures all of our students have a healthy kick-start to their day. Students will be able to sit down and enjoy their breakfast in The Atrium at Ayr, The Restaurant at Lanarkshire and The Hub at Paisley.

Eating a healthy breakfast has several benefits and can positively impact your studies, learning and general health. It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with your classmates.

Options available for the breakfast include coffee, fruit and croissants, as well as cereals and continental style offers.

In order to get your free breakfast you will just have to show our catering teams your digital student ID card.

Breakfast Club ‘Fast Facts’

• Students who eat breakfast are proven to perform better during examinations.
• Breakfast can encourage healthier eating, helping reduce snacking and overeating throughout the day.
• Breakfast helps kick-start metabolism, boost energy levels and stables the brain.
• Eating with others has proven positive benefits to mental wellbeing.

The key details:

• Ayr Campus – The Atrium, Tuesday & Thursday, 8.30-9.30am
• Lanarkshire Campus – The Restaurant, Tuesday & Thursday, 8.30-9.30am
• Paisley Campus – The Hub, Tuesday & Thursday, 8.30-9.30am

If you live in Scotland and are 5-21* years old you are eligible for a card giving you free bus travel. Children and young people aged 5-21 years old will need a National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC) before hopping on board.

Find out more about the scheme from Transport Scotland.

*Children under five years old already travel for free on buses and don’t need a card.

Get 1/3 off your rail fares with the 16-25 railcard if you're aged 16-25, or if you’re a full-time student - at any age. At £30 for 1 year, or £70 for 3 years, it can work out to be an investment that leads to lots of savings if you are travelling using the Scotrail network.

Find out more on the Scotrail website.

Many transport companies will offer student discounted tickets, giving you access to preferential rates because of your student status. No matter where you are buying your travel tickets from, always check if you can get a discounted student ticket.

Check out Save the Student’s travel advice.

Now is as good a time as any to make sure you are getting the most out of your banking arrangements, and that this is working for you. It might seem like one bank is much the same as next, but that won’t always be the case. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you paying a monthly fee for benefits that you don’t use?
• Is another bank offering a perk that you would use?
• If you are regularly in your overdraft, is this costing you money?

We have lots of tips about student banking on our dedicated banking webpage. This information will help you find the best account for you.

We’re not talking about borrowing through the student funding system, but about commercial borrowing.

As a student, borrowing money at certain times may be unavoidable, and it’s certainly not common to get through life without ever having to do this. Just think about mortgages, or car loans. However, borrowing should not be seen as a way to fund you basic living costs. If you are considering borrowing to pay for your day to day living costs, please do exhaust every other possibility in the first instance, and get advice and support.

If you owe money, it is really important to include these repayments in your budget and treat them as priority spending due to the impact that not paying can have. If you reach the point where you think you might be unable to pay what you owe when you are meant to, talk to your creditor in advance.

You’ll find lots of advice and guidance on our dedicated Debt & Borrowing webpage, and this also includes details of organisations you can contact if you need assistance.

Sadly, there are some out there who would use the current cost of living situation to commit crime and take advantage of people in already vulnerable positions. The best way to avoid this is to educate yourself on what to look out for. Trust your gut instinct if something doesn’t feel right.

Loan Sharks may operate in your local community. These are illegal money lenders and are not a safe place to borrow funds from. Renfrewshire Affordable Credit Alliance has a great short video about this on their website along with information on more affordable credit options.

Scams relating to the cost of living may take many forms. Ultimately scammers want your personal information and bank details. They may target people online, via cold calling, email, text messages and door stopping.

Things to be wary of are:

• Impersonation – calls, messages or emails claiming to be from a legitimate body such as HMRC or your energy company. Asking you to click a link and provide details for a rebate or a grant. You can always double check things by going directly to the company website and looking for the thing you have been offered. Most large organisations would not contact you in this way for these things.
• Energy Efficiency Scams – social media posts, doorstep callers, unsolicited emails advertising energy efficiency measures such as insulation. Do not accept advice on energy efficiency from organisations you have not contacted yourself. The government has nominated information sources who can help you with these things such as Home Energy Scotland and the Energy Saving Trust. Review carefully the website of any company you have found yourself and if you are unsure, check in with one of the government agencies to see if they can help you.
• Banking and Investment Scams – your bank will never contact you via text message or email asking you for details or to change details. Familiarize yourself with your own bank’s policies on communications and look in the help section of their website for suggestions on how to avoid scams and how to report them should you be the victim of one. The same goes for pension fraud. Be very, very wary of anyone asking unsolicited questions about your pension provision or offering to help you release pension funds early to help with your current cost of living.  The FCA have a useful article on this which includes details on how to report these crimes.
• Cryptocurrency Investment Scams are also on the rise. Companies will advertise on social media often using celebrities as promotion to make themselves look legitimate. They will offer you investment opportunities, some even giving you some small returns to conceal they are fake. FCA do not regulate this industry but they do have a guide on this type of scam and how to report it.
• Fake Goods/Online Shopping – everyone loves a bargain, especially when times are tougher. Some criminals will target consumers in this way. Offering low prices on goods and clothing or copying large brand websites to look like the real thing. These criminals want your bank details, and it can be very easy to be scammed in this way. Pay by credit card where possible so you have additional section 75 protection. Check the IP address of websites and look for a padlock icon. Check the spelling and word placement on the website, especially in sections such as About Us. Check they have a returns policy. Check reviews of the seller. Which have a good article on this type of fraud which can help you know what to look for.

Remember most of these scams are orchestrated by professional criminals so if you are the victim of one, it isn’t your fault. These scams can be highly sophisticated and challenging to spot. For more advice on how to be scam aware take a look at Money Saving Experts, 30 Ways to Stop Scams or government backed Take 5 – To Stop Fraud. If you are worried about energy specific scams (one of the fastest growing) The Energy Saving Trust has a How to Spot an Energy Scam guide.

In Term 1 of Academic Year 2022/23, UWS is offering all students on our Ayr, Lanarkshire and Paisley campuses a free breakfast every Tuesday and Thursday, between 8.30am and 9.30am, to help them fuel up for the day ahead.

At UWS we are here for our students, and this initiative ensures all of our students have a healthy kick-start to their day. Students will be able to sit down and enjoy their breakfast in The Atrium at Ayr, The Restaurant at Lanarkshire and The Hub at Paisley.

Eating a healthy breakfast has several benefits and can positively impact your studies, learning and general health. It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with your classmates.

Options available for the breakfast include coffee, fruit and croissants, as well as cereals and continental style offers.

In order to get your free breakfast you will just have to show our catering teams your digital student ID card.

Breakfast Club ‘Fast Facts’

• Students who eat breakfast are proven to perform better during examinations.
• Breakfast can encourage healthier eating, helping reduce snacking and overeating throughout the day.
• Breakfast helps kick-start metabolism, boost energy levels and stables the brain.
• Eating with others has proven positive benefits to mental wellbeing.

The key details:

• Ayr Campus – The Atrium, Tuesday & Thursday, 8.30-9.30am
• Lanarkshire Campus – The Restaurant, Tuesday & Thursday, 8.30-9.30am
• Paisley Campus – The Hub, Tuesday & Thursday, 8.30-9.30am

At UWS we recognise the transformative power of physical activity and sport in enabling health and wellbeing. As part of this commitment we offer FREE gym memberships to all of our students at our UWS operated facilities, offering modern, warm and well equipped sports facilities throughout the day and evening for students to exercise. 

Find out more online here.

Many other privately operated gym and fitness facilities will offer student discounted membership rates, but remember to only commit to a membership if you will absolutely get your money’s worth.

Each of our five campuses has its own library with study facilities that provide safe and warm space for students to settle in and spend the day studying.

As well as study spaces within our campus libraries, you'll also find a range of study spaces in all corners of our campuses, offering a warm and inviting space to spend the day studying, and plenty of sockets to keep you plugged in and your IT powered up.

Everyone studies differently, and we work hard to cater to all preferences. If you are looking for silent space to help you focus, or a space for group work, we've got you covered.

Spaces like the Neuk and Crannie on Paisley Campus, the Street in Lanarkshire, and the Atrium in Ayr are all worth exploring. 

We know not everyone studies at the UWS campus that might be closest to their home. If you live in Ayr but study at Paisley, there is nothing stopping you taking advantage of what Ayr Campus has to offer when it comes to study space, and saving on petrol or train fare.

Similarly, there may be libraries and community centres in your local community that you can access and spend time studying.

UWS has student residences in Ayr and Paisley. Staying in University managed accommodation takes the worry out of household bills as the price includes internet access, electricity, heating, security and insurance. It also provides a safe and secure place to live close to campus and is a great way to meet new friends.

Remember that while renting privately may seem cheaper, the monthly rent won’t include any household bills. Take a look at our accommodation comparison to decide what's right for you.

UWS Residences costs for the 2022-23 academic session were set in 2021, before the cost-of-living costs started to increase. Despite this, the costs set in 2021 have been honoured and students can rely on the prices staying as they are for the duration of their contract.

In an effort to reduce food waste, and to support students living in UWS Residences, we regularly deliver unsold food from out UWS Catering facilities to the students in UWS Residences. 

At UWS, we believe Free Is Fabulous, so we are providing free sanitary products for our students. We are committed to ensuring that a lack of access to sanitary products in no way acts as a barrier to a student’s ability to participate fully in University life, so if you need these products please help yourself. Find out more here.