The UK government has been warned it risks losing the support of young voters if it fails to reform the student loan system, as campaigners say time is running out to address growing concerns among graduates.
The National Union of Students (NUS), alongside campaign group Organise, delivered a petition to 10 Downing Street on Monday urging ministers to reverse the freeze on student loan repayment thresholds and cut interest rates.
The move comes as the Treasury Select Committee conducts an inquiry into the student loans system, amid mounting debate about the long-term financial burden faced by graduates.
NUS president Amira Campbell warned the government could face a significant political backlash if it fails to act. “This Government is at real risk of losing a lot of people that voted for them in the first place,” she said.
She added that millions of graduates could be affected by the current policies. “There are a predicted five million graduates impacted by this who are voters now. The simple message is wake up and take action because they are running out of time.”
Campbell criticised the government for failing to introduce reforms despite the ongoing parliamentary scrutiny.
“The new consultation is set up by the Treasury Select Committee but central government has still not adopted or decided to make any changes. That is genuinely atrocious,” she said.
She also argued that government action should not depend on external reviews, calling for direct political decisions to address the issue.
“What we really need to see is, from central government, the decision to make changes. It should not need to take a review to turn around and say that the thresholds need to be U-turned on,” she said.
The NUS represents more than seven million students across the UK and has been campaigning for reforms to ease the financial pressure on graduates.
Roxana Khan-Williams, head of campaigns at Organise, said the campaign reflects growing frustration among young people.
“We are here to deliver a petition of over 35,000 people. The Government really needs to take immediate action,” she said.
She added that the issue affects a large proportion of younger generations.
“I don’t have a single friend who is not impacted by this, it feels so pertinent for so many in our generation.”
Khan-Williams warned that the current system could discourage young people from pursuing higher education in the future, arguing that younger voters have been overlooked for too long.
“For so long our generation has been ignored,” she said.