Essay writing services have now been made illegal in the UK

The government has made it illegal for online services to write essays on behalf of students in exchange for cash.

As part of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, so-called “essay mills” will be outlawed in the hope of preserving “academic integrity” at university.

Writing in The Times today, minister for skills Alex Burghart said: “If some students are receiving qualifications based on work that is not their own, then it undermines the entire system. And it is brutally unfair on the vast majority of students who work hard to achieve the grades.”

He adds: “This immoral practice has been corroding the prestige and academic integrity of education for too long. The time has come to beat the cheats and bash the bullies.”

It’s estimated that currently there are 1,000 essay mills in operation, with a 2018 survey revealing that 15.7 per cent of recent UK graduates had admitted to cheating.

Essay mills claim to offer plagiarism-free essays with websites saying things like, “If you need help, we’ll write the entire paper or any chapter you need!”

The National Union of Students, who helped campaign for the ban, has heralded its success, highlighting the potentially predatory nature of essay mill websites.

NUS Vice-President for Higher Education Hillary Gyebi-Ababio said: “For too long, students – especially international students – have been preyed upon by these companies. They have often been blackmailed and intimidated when they’ve been at their most vulnerable. Having called for government action a number of times in the past, I am proud of NUS’ role in stopping this cruel practice.

“But students should never have been in the position where they feel they must turn to essay mills in the first place. The government must work with universities to ensure that adequate academic and pastoral support is provided for all students.”

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