|
As Student Minds is a registered charity, we aren’t party-political, and we pride ourselves on building consensus to improve student mental health. In April, we published our Student Mental Health Manifesto (SMHM), sharing our ambitious, whole-society vision for the next government. The Manifesto lays out five key themes for change, making both urgent and long-term recommendations. Now the general election has been called, political candidates and parties are campaigning for your vote, and sharing their plans for if they get elected. Here, we explore some of the key proposals made by the Conservatives, Greens, Labour, and Liberal Democrats, under the themes covered in the Student Mental Health Manifesto. We’ve considered the parties fielding candidates across the UK for this piece, but will provide a similar look at parties in the devolved nations soon. Student Minds does not endorse any particular party or candidate. We hope students, staff, and everybody who cares about student mental health will use this information as insight into each party’s platform, but the choice of who to vote for is yours. It’s important to do your own research and check out party manifestos as well as pledges by candidates, including independent candidates, in your constituency. We note that this article is not a comprehensive nor exhaustive account of all party manifestos and shouldn’t be taken as such. Remember that your vote matters. Note: to ensure impartiality, we have used the wording and framing used within each manifesto wherever possible. This helps us ensure we describe each party’s views as they do and ensures we remain impartial. You may find some of the wording below disagreeable. Party policies do not reflect the views of Student Minds. HealthcareWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“All students should have access to quality and timely mental health support. We’re calling for an urgent commitment to increase funding for the NHS and improve support for healthcare staff and students. We also want to see a long term commitment to ensure the sustainability and improvement of mental health services, and improved support for students and young people who experience poor mental health.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
We’re pleased to see a commitment to funding early support hubs for young people across so many manifestos. We’re also encouraged to see the pressures on NHS staff acknowledged, with measures to improve staffing as another common theme. We hope this will reduce workloads for individual staff, reducing burnout and waiting times for support.Support targeted at young people isn’t available to all students, so we would want to see assurances that mature students who are not eligible to use the early support hubs can access timely alternative care. Financial HardshipWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“All students should have enough money to support them through their studies. This requires a review of existing student funding systems nationwide, reversing real-terms cuts due to inflation, increasing entitlement thresholds based on household income, restructuring Postgraduate Taught finance, and introducing maintenance funding for part time students. We identify immediate changes to alleviate cost-of-living pressures such as a winter fuel allowance, increasing the minimum wage for all 18 year-olds to the Real Living Wage, further subsidising public transport, and introducing payments for healthcare students on placement. Students’ specific experiences must be accounted for when policies designed to tackle the cost-of-living crisis are developed.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
We’re delighted that multiple parties have taken up our recommendation to reinstate maintenance grants for university students. Equally, policies to raise the minimum wage are welcome - though we continue to support calls for the minimum wage to be in line with the Real Living Wage. We will continue to advocate for further support for healthcare students during their studies. We also would’ve liked to have seen more on tackling the costs of basic necessities, raising student maintenance allowances retrospectively to account for almost a decade of real-time cuts, and a student winter fuel allowance. More needs to be done to ensure students have enough money to support them through their studies. Higher educationWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“Our higher education institutions need improved support and investment. The funding model for higher education must be reviewed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector without compromising on staff or student wellbeing. Clarity on the roles and responsibilities of universities and statutory health services must be provided to ensure mental health support is delivered appropriately. Continued political and financial support for the University Mental Health Charter should be given to enable these improvements through a whole-university approach. Higher education should be given greater esteem in recognition of its positive contribution to our economy and society rather than being undermined by “culture war” narratives.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
These manifestos offer a variety of perspectives around what needs to be done for higher education, but seem to be in consensus that the sector is not in good shape. We’re pleased to see some parties highlight the need for a strong higher education sector which is fully enabled to succeed, which we believe entails adequate funding, an end to the culture wars, and a refocus on quality over “value for money.” e are keen to see more detail as to how the sector can be sustainably funded and how quality higher education will be accessible to all students, without breaking the bank or sacrificing staff welfare. Inclusive healthcare and educationWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“All students should have access to inclusive education and healthcare without facing barriers. The government must urgently improve support for marginalised communities, including trans, international, and disabled students; ensuring university communities are protected from discrimination and hate speech. We’re calling for a long-term commitment to building truly inclusive education and healthcare systems, free from cultural, social and physical barriers.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
We note that international students pay far more for their degree, and often pay out of pocket, yet face more barriers to mental health support and academic success. We’re pleased to see some parties begin to recognise this area but would like to see them go further. We would not support a decision to remove the student discount on the Immigration Health Surcharge, and instead believe the surcharge should be removed or reduced further for international students. We are pleased to see multiple parties confirm their pledge to protect the rights of LGBT+ people but note that many LGBT+ students don’t feel safe in their university communities (or society). We want to see more specific measures to tackle discrimination and particularly transphobia across our country. We welcome initiatives to commence ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting, but are also keen to hear what more the parties propose to do to tackle barriers to success faced by racialised and disabled students in healthcare and education. A mentally healthier nationWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“We must move towards a holistic approach to the mental health and wellbeing of the nation, improving support, prevention, and equality. This includes, but is not limited to, early intervention and preventative policies for healthcare, suicide prevention, and embedding mental health and wellbeing into curriculums, to support transitions into and out of higher education. We are calling for the government to improve the state of housing in the country, particularly tenants’ rights in the rental sector, commit to protecting green space and invest in mental health research.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
We cannot stress enough the importance of keeping students in mind when designing policy interventions in that sector, so we would like to see more on this pressing topic. However, reforms like the abolition of no-fault evictions and improving energy efficiency in private sector housing will also be accessible to students. We are concerned that students are often disempowered to negotiate with landlords, have lesser financial resources and often move addresses annually, so we would be keen to see what specific housing protections can be afforded them in the next government. We are also encouraged to see multiple mentions of net zero but would urge parties to be ambitious and deliberate in their approach to the climate crisis. Sources and further reading
0 Comments
Like many, we have watched the unfolding violence in Palestine with great sadness, frustration, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. In December, we committed to continuing to support students and challenging injustice where we see it. We also expressed our sincere hopes for peace, and are therefore upset and disappointed to be sharing a similar statement six months later.
It is impossible to comprehend the images, videos, and personal testimonies being shared on social media. The extent of the loss and destruction being experienced is devastating, and our thoughts remain with everybody impacted by the events that have taken place on, and since, the 7th October, as well as all who this longstanding conflict has impacted. Many students across the UK care deeply about peace in the Middle East and have chosen to exercise their right to protest. For decades, student movements have truly changed the world and remind us how powerful and influential the student population can be. We support everybody’s right to express their views safely and peacefully. As we reflected in our previous statement, we remain deeply concerned by the sustained increase in antisemitism and Islamophobia being reported on campuses and within student communities. This is unacceptable. Universities should be safe spaces for students to exercise free speech and their right to protest, whilst ensuring no student feels unsafe on campus. Students and staff also have a responsibility to ensure that peaceful protests do not act as an excuse for discrimination and hate speech. During such a difficult and upsetting period, it’s important that we look after ourselves and each other. Social media and the news can feel overwhelming, and it’s ok to switch off sometimes to protect your own wellbeing. If you want to talk, try reaching out to your friends, family, or your university for support. The most important thing is doing what works for you. Along with many students, we stand with the humanitarian community and colleagues across the higher education and charity sectors in supporting calls for an immediate ceasefire and immediate release of all hostages. Support and Community
Reporting incidents of antisemitism or Islamophobia More information
|
Latest news
March 2025
|
