Separately, policy context includes a freeze of the Plan 2 student loan repayment threshold for three years from April 2026, potentially affecting graduates’ repayments as living costs rise.

A wave of potential legal action targets dozens of UK universities, with more than 170,000 students applying for compensation after Covid-era studies shifted online; pre-action letters have been sent to 36 institutions.

Among the universities named are prominent institutions such as Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Imperial College London, King’s College London, LSE, Manchester, Southampton, York, and others across the UK.

The Student Group Claim argues that universities breached contracts by charging for in-person tuition and access to facilities while online teaching and limited library access occurred during strikes and the Covid period from 2018 onward.

By the 2022-23 academic year, teaching remained hybrid for many courses, underscoring ongoing disruption beyond the initial pandemic years.

Universities UK has declined to comment, while staff strikes continued to affect student experiences during the period.

Universities argue the Covid years were challenging but maintained efforts to protect wellbeing and academic quality amid disruptions.

UCL president and provost Spence said the settlement allows focus on core mission and that the university did not dispute the right to seek redress for affected individuals.

Personal accounts, such as postgraduate student Georgia Johnson, highlight the impact on education and mental health from Covid-era teaching disruptions.

The core dispute centers on disruption to campus facilities and practical work in courses like fine arts and applied arts, and the overall impact on student experiences during lockdown and remote learning.

The letters claim students suffered financial losses as well as disappointment and distress from the failure to provide promised services across the 2019-20 to 2021-22 academic years.

The claims cover the 2019-20 to 2021-22 periods, with a September 2026 deadline for Covid-related claims and potential limitations starting September 2026.