A new report published today by NUS-USI has revealed that students across Northern Ireland are facing worsening financial hardship, with rising numbers skipping meals, relying on food banks, and considering leaving education altogether due to mounting cost of living pressures.
Read the report here
The NUS-USI Cost of Living Report 2026, based on a survey of 1,973 students and apprentices across further and higher education institutions, paints a stark picture of the growing financial and mental health crisis affecting learners throughout the country.
Among the key findings:
- 43% of students say they are skipping meals, up from 33% in 2024
- One in ten students have accessed food banks
- 27% worry about money “all the time”, compared to 20% in 2024
- 56% say work is negatively impacting their studies
- 34% have considered leaving their course due to poor mental health
- 17% have missed classes because they could not afford transport
- One in five have gone without heating
- A quarter have been unable to pay their rent in full
The findings also highlights the increasing pressure students face balancing employment alongside education. Two-thirds of respondents now work while studying, with one-third of working students employed for more than 20 hours per week.
Students described making impossible choices between food, heating, transport and continuing their education. One respondent said they were “miss[ing] class because I’m just so tired from working,” while another reported going “without heat during extreme winter conditions.”
NUS-USI warns that financial pressures are increasingly affecting educational outcomes, mental wellbeing and student participation in campus life. More than four in ten students said they had missed out on social activities due to the cost of living, while 43% reported the crisis was having a moderate to major impact on their mental health.
Ahead of the elections in Northern Ireland next year, NUS-USI is calling on political leaders and institutions to take urgent action to support students, including increased maintenance support, affordable housing measures, and improved access to mental health services and transport assistance.
Ben Friel, President of NUS-USI, said:
“Students are being pushed beyond breaking point. Young people are working longer hours, skipping meals, missing classes and sacrificing their mental health simply to stay in education.
“Students should not have to choose between heating and eating, or between attending class and affording transport. Yet for far too many, that is now the reality.
“For too long, the Government have relied on students’ resilience. But for young people in Northern Ireland, staying in education is quickly becoming synonymous with poverty. All parties in Northern Ireland must commit to increase student financial support, tackle housing costs, and ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed regardless of their background or income.”
“When students prepare to vote in the upcoming Assembly Elections, they’ll be looking for parties that understand their priorities and are willing to engage with the issues that matter most to them. We encourage all parties to listen carefully to student concerns and reflect them in their commitments.”
