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Sheffield Hallam to give £200k saved from strikes to disadvantaged students

The money is from staff salary savings


Hallam has decided that the £200k saved from staff salaries during the November 2019 strikes will go to disadvantaged students.

Sheffield Hallam University has more students from under-represented backgrounds in England than any other university according to their Access and Participation plan 2020-21 to 2024-25.

Over the rest of this academic year, the money from the eight days of walkouts by lecturers will be used to help these "particularly disadvantaged students", the uni said in an internal email.

According to the university, there will be more discretionary funding available for care leavers, estranged students and student carers.

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The funding is also going to increase for the Student Success Scholarship that Hallam offers to estranged, disabled, transgender and refugee students as well as carers, care leavers and student parents.

The scholarship offers £200 to £2000 to students who fit into one or more categories and come from a low-income background.

Sheffield Hallam are hoping that more students will have a greater chance of receiving a larger reward from the scholarship now there is extra funding available.

The rest of the money is being used to increase the student hardship fund. This fund is available to any students, including international students, facing significant unforeseen financial circumstances.

It comes as members of the University and College Union walked out again on Thursday for a further 14 days over pensions and pay.

A petition set up by a Sheffield Hallam student calling for £863.33 compensation for each student over the disruption to classes, assessments and dissertations has now surpassed 14,000 signatures in only two weeks.

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