How Much Should Parents Contribute to UK University Fees?

Funding for UK university students is a contentious issue at the moment with many hoping for a reversion to the grant system of the past, and others believing that loans are the best way forward. As it stands, student funding for most will probably still come from The Student Loans Company, but it is typical for parents to pay towards higher education also. So how much should parents contribute to UK university fees? According to The Student Loans Company (slc.co.uk), parents are expected to contribute a certain amount to their children's higher education after an assessment from the Learning Education Authority (LEA). Currently, if their income is in excess of £21,475, they should contribute a minimum of £45, with an additional £1 for every £9.50 of their income that breaches that limit. In 2007 The Guardian published research findings from Unite, a student accommodation specialist. Their survey found that one in five first year students were receiving a bursary to aid them, yet there was still an eight per cent rise of the number of students in debt in comparison to the year before, and the average spend for students at university was £13,000. The report also showed that over 93 per cent of students also relied on their parents for financial support in conjunction with loans and bursaries. Payments from parents were said to cover essentials such as food and accommodation, with the average amount given for each student as £4000. In 2008 however, it seems that financial issues for parents has become more serious. Debts now are far higher, according to Blog Jono (blogjono.blogspot.com, a blog written by a student for students), debts are more in the region of £22,000. He also states that according to a Norwich Union survey, 46 per cent of parents are now urging their children to study part time whilst working in order to avoid such debt. Yet, perhaps the most significant statistics are seen in the lack of correlation between the government help for parents on low income (£2,385), whilst the average student fees are now in excess of £3,000. It is no surprise that many more are being tempted by online and part time education, and that the debts and dependence continue to increase so sharply. But in the past, didn't university represent a young person's movement into independence?