In November 2024, the education secretary announced an increase in domestic undergraduate tuition fees to £9,535 starting in September 2025, yet the sector is still projected to face a deficit of £1.6 billion.

Many universities have been engaged in cost-cutting measures for the past three years, driven by rising operational costs and a decline in tuition income from domestic students.

Since 2019, there has been a notable decrease of over 25% in undergraduate chemistry degrees, with some institutions, such as the University of Hull, declaring certain courses unviable due to low demand.

Nearly a quarter of leading universities in the UK are implementing staff and budget cuts, with projections indicating up to 10,000 job losses, which raises significant concerns about the sector's international reputation.

Universities in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are also grappling with financial difficulties, with institutions like Queen's University Belfast and Aberystwyth making cuts to address their challenges.

A vice-chancellor noted that the gradual nature of these cuts has largely gone unnoticed by the public, contrasting with more visible job losses in the corporate sector.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, has called for urgent government intervention to prevent further job losses and uphold academic standards, warning of potential industrial unrest if vice-chancellors do not take action.

Cardiff University has cut nursing courses and humanities subjects, illustrating that funding issues are affecting institutions across the board, regardless of their prestige.

The Royal College of Nursing has warned that the ongoing financial crisis is severely impacting nursing courses, leading to potential redundancies amidst a backdrop of over 40,000 vacancies in the sector.

Both the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society for Chemistry have raised alarms that these cuts jeopardize the UK's standing in scientific research and the supply of skilled workers crucial for economic growth.

In a shift in recruitment strategies, prestigious universities have started accepting more UK students with lower A-level grades, creating challenges for other institutions in attracting students.

Approximately 90 universities are currently undergoing restructuring, which includes both compulsory and voluntary redundancies aimed at reducing wage expenses.