Revealed: King’s College London vice-chancellor’s annual spend has increased by 11 percent

King’s College London’s (KCL) vice-chancellor and president’s annual spending increased by 11 per cent in the 2024-2025 academic year.

A freedom of information request (FOI) obtained by The King’s Tab reveals that Shitij Kapur’s annual spend for the last academic year, from September 2024 until the end of May 2025, totalled £16,276.35 across accommodation, hospitality and housing, alcohol, and travel expenses.

This marks an increase of 11 per cent from the previous year’s total spend of £14,551.90 between August 2023 and July 2024.

Shitij spent £2,063.38 on accommodation this year, up from £360.64 the previous year.

Similarly, the FOI request revealed a 50.8 per cent rise across the hospitality and housing spend category, from £1085.66 to £1637.60. This is likely to have included costs associated with hosting internal and external guests as well as university-related events.

The vice-chancellor’s increase in spending comes at a time when the university is under financial strain, having reported a £19 million daily operating deficit for the 2023-2024 academic year.

It also follows claims that the vice-chancellor lives rent-free in a university-funded accommodation 20 times larger than the Stamford Street Apartments residences offered to KCL students. This accommodation is provided alongside an annual salary of £300,000.

However, not all categories of the vice-chancellor’s spending increased. Both alcohol, which was listed under hospitality for external guests, and travel saw declines. Alcohol-related spending decreased by £44.50, while travel expenditure dropped by £468.01 compared with the previous year.

Shitij’s salary is proportionate to equivalent leadership roles in similar institutions in the UK, and vice-chancellors’ salaries are often deemed to be reflective of the responsibility of leading higher education institutions.

King’s College London declined a request for comment.

Featured image via LinkedIn

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