A Liverpool student said he feels "hopeless" with just £50 to last him three months as students turn to food pantries and Aldi food vouchers to survive.
With most of the full £9,250 maintenance loan he receives going on rent, Jack (not his real name) has to work while studying maths and finance at the University of Liverpool. But he's hired on a zero-hour contract, gets only a day of work each week, and he said his employer owes him roughly £400 in unpaid wages.
This means he has has to think carefully about what he buys, turn down nights out with friends, and walk 40 minutes to university instead of taking the bus. Like many students, he's struggling with the rising cost of living, and he's worried about the future.
