Don’t Freeze Our Futures Reform Student Loans
The “Don’t Freeze Our Futures Campaign” is a campaign being ran by the National Union of Students which is calling for significant changes to be made to the current student loans system. This campaign argues that the current student loans system is not fair, and that students and graduates have been mis-sold their student loans and are having to pay the price.
The current student finance system is not working. Its not working for students who are struggling to get by unable to afford their rent, bills, food, clothing, transport and study supplies. It is not working for graduates who are struggling to find jobs, and who once they finally do as struggling to get by due to the sheer amount of their student loan they have to pay back with each pay check. It is not working for parents, families and friends who are trying their best to support students and graduates by paying for basic essentials which students cannot pay for with student finance along, with some even having to take out loans to support their student or graduate.
At a time like this with a system that is crumbling and not fulfilling the purpose it was intended to student voice is more important than ever and it is crucial to use you voice, your experience and your passion in order to advocate for a fair system which supports all students and graduates in a fair way which does not come back to bite them later. Students at the University of Derby need a change to this broken system, students across the whole of England need a change to this broken system, but the only way that will happen is if we all use our voices.
— Kaeda Hipkiss, Vice President (Welfare)
Background from the NUS
The NUS Article
10 Reasons the Student Loans System in England Is Unfair; an article from NUS written by Alex Stanley.
The main points of the campaign
- Student loans are no longer fair or fit for purpose, acting like a stealth tax on graduates
- The freeze on repayment thresholds after taking into consideration inflation means that graduates are expected to pay back more of their loans with less income each year
- High interest rates on loans are causing debt to accumulate faster than it can be paid back
- Young people are being misled and the implications of taking a student loan are downplayed
Campaign Timeline
11th of February 2026
NUS organised and held a protest outside of the Treasury, wearing shark costumes to show that Rachel Reeves Chancellor of the Exchequer, is acting like a (student) loan shark.
Mid-February 2026
NUS launched their National Petition calling for student loans to be reformed.
Mid-February 2026
NUS published a Write to your MP tool to support students in contacting their local MP with a personalised letter to help emphasise the impacts of student debt.
3rd of March 2026
NUS organised another protest outside of Parliament similar to the last one which ran prior to the announcement of the spring budget in parliament, Kaeda your VP (Welfare) went along to this!
11th of March 2026
Is National Lobby Day! Student Officers all over the country are heading to London in order to meet their local MPs to discuss how the current student loans system is unfair and not fit for purpose for both students and graduates.
Want to be a part of the campaign?
Step 1
Fill in this form so Kaeda, your Vice President (Welfare), can tell MPs on National Lobby Day how the current student finance system is impacting you!
Step 2
Sign the NUS petition: Petition - Don't Freeze our Futures: Reform Student Loans
Step 3
Write to your MP (You can make writing to your MP even more powerful by including your own student debt and how it effects your daily life).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I get involved?
Change does not happen unless we push for it, the Student Loans Company is a organisation under the Department for Education which provides loans for students, however many of the decisions made by this company are made without talking to students, this is an opportunity for you as a student to share your voice and your experience of how this system impacts you, and the more stories and student voice we gather the stronger our case becomes!
How does this effect me?
Currently all students who are in reciept of a student loan from the Student Loans Company are experiencing the negatives of this system, for some individuals the loan does not cover their cost of living, for others the payments are poorly timed and not fit for their needs. Furthermore the Government keeps changing the terms of the repayment of the loans for graduates by freezing the threshold for repayment (the amount you have to earn before you begin paying back your student loan).