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What additional support is there to help with the cost of living?

02 November 2022

With the rising cost of living, as a student we understand you may be concerned about what this will mean for household bills, food, travel costs and general living expenses.

To support students, a £3million package has been approved by King’s to provide additional hardship funding, an extra one-off payment for King’s Living Bursary recipients and food and drink offers across our campuses. We also have a range of support and guidance for you to access including discounts and specialist advice services.

Contact the Money & Housing Advice Service

If you are concerned, you may find it helpful to speak to the Money & Housing Advice Service, who can talk you through the options available to you by phone, at drop-in sessions or pre-booked appointments.

Hardship funds

Our hardship funds are available to students experiencing financial difficulty to help with day-to-day living costs such as rent and energy bills. More information on each scheme and its eligibility can be found through the links below:

  • The King’s Student Fund is open to eligible undergraduate and PGCE students with Home fee status and can award up to £4,000 depending on your circumstances.
  • The King’s Hardship Fund is open to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students, including those in NHS-funded years, with Home fee status and can award up to £4,000 depending on your circumstances.
  • The International Hardship Fund is open to eligible international students, including those from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, and can award up to £6,000 depending on your circumstances.
  • The King’s Medical & Dental Hardship Fund is open to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students on full-time medical or dental programmes and can award up to £5,000 depending on your circumstances.
  • The Perseverance Trust Hardship Bursary for Nursing & Midwifery Students is open to eligible students on certain programmes in the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care and can award £500 or £1,000 depending on your circumstances.

Additional allowance for recipients of the King’s Living Bursary

If you receive the King’s Living Bursary, we’ll be providing an extra one-off payment equivalent to 10% of your bursary amount to support you.

You don’t need to do anything to receive this additional allowance; the extra one-off payment will be paid  into the same bank account we send your King’s Living Bursary to.

Students do not need to apply for the King’s Living Bursary and will be contacted automatically in mid November 2022 as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.

Have you met the Money Mentors?

Money Mentors are current students at King’s who have a passion for helping their peers by ensuring they are as money savvy as possible.

They are here to make sure that you make the most of your money, whatever your budget. The Mentors can offer tips and advice on how to make a budget, where to get the best discounts and deals in London, how to save the pennies and where you can get help if needed.

Keep up to date with them on Instagram (@kingsmoneymentors)

Three images make a collage, left side is porridge toppings (nuts, berries and oats) the right is split into two images with the top a fruit bowl and the bottom is Jacket potatoes

Keep up to date with the latest offers on campus

King’s Food: Latest offers and savings

To help the King’s community save during current times King’s Food has a range of offers and discounts available for students to access while on campus.

This includes three saver deals to help cover your breakfast, lunch and snacking and different ways to helping you to keep fueled and your money to go further. 

See the offers and find out more here

kclsu

KCLSU food outlet deals and offers

To help students save while on campus KCLSU have two deals on offer within their venues and cafés.

At lunchtime there is a weekly special with a freshly cooked hot meal for £3.50 (a soft drink can be included for £4.00) at either Guys Bar or The Vault at Bush House. 

All day you can also pick up a filter coffee for £1 at the Shed at Guys and the Shack at Bush House.

Advice and guidance

KCLSU provide free, confidential and impartial academic advice to students with issues affecting their studies. You can contact them to speak in person, online or over the phone.

Find out more about contacting KCLSU here. 

Free Sanitary Products available at KCLSU Hubs

Free sanitary products are available at the KCLSU Hubs across our campuses, just head to your closest KCLSU hub on campus. 

KCLSU Societies, Events and Activity Groups

You can join a KCLSU Society or Activity group to meet others and engage with their socials and events – helping you to meet lots of new people outside your course and make new friends.

Sign up to any free societies at the beginning of the year and look out for free KCLSU events (often with food) through the year to get involved and meet other students.

See a list of the societies and activity groups at KCLSU.

Student offers and discounts

Student Art Pass – A year of art and opportunities for a fiver

A Student Art Pass lets you dive into culture on a budget with free or discounted entry to hundreds of museums and galleries across the UK, and 50% off major exhibitions. Plus, you’ll gain access to paid opportunities in the visual arts and grow your network by joining the #WeAreArtful @StudentArtPass community.

Find out more and sign up here

TOTUM card

All enrolled students can apply for a TOTUM card, which will allow you to access exclusive offers and discounts.

You can apply for a TOTUM card by creating an account on the TOTUM card website and filling in all the required fields, including the title and length of your course. Please note you will need a debit card and digital photograph when applying for your TOTUM card.

Student Beans and UNiDAYS

Enrolled Full and Part-Time students can also sign up to Student Beans and UNiDAYS for additional student only discounts on various products and services.

Student wellbeing: Money concerns & challenges

King’s is committed to supporting your wellbeing and providing supportive services alongside your studies.

We understand that wellbeing can mean different things to each person, we have a range of services which can support you depending on your level of need.

See our Student Wellbeing Hub

Emergency support

If you are in financial crisis and have no immediate access to funds to cover your day-to-day living costs, please contact the Money & Housing Advice Service to discuss your options and access interim assistance whilst your longer-term options are assessed and applications for financial support are made.

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