Students at the University of York are facing significant financial pressures as the cost of laundry services in university accommodation has soared. According to the University of York Students’ Union (York SU), students are forced to choose between essential needs like food and maintaining clean clothes, with laundry fees reaching £5.10 per load. This situation has sparked concerns over the affordability of basic services for students, particularly in light of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Rising Laundry Costs
The staggering expense of laundry services at the University of York has become a pressing issue for students. Sam Dickinson, the wellbeing officer at York SU, highlighted that the university’s laundry rates are £2.10 higher per wash compared to nearby York St John University, where the cost is only £3. “Everyone deserves to have clean clothes, and high laundry prices create a barrier to that,” Dickinson remarked.
Many students have reported that they are forced to tap into their savings to cover laundry costs. Cathy Hamilton, a second-year psychology student, revealed that she spent up to £20 each week on laundry during her first year, stating, “It is crazy the amount that we are having to pay.”
Strategies for Saving Money
Students are finding various ways to manage the financial burden of laundry. First-year history student Ellie May Quigley admitted to reducing the frequency of her washes to save money. “We can’t avoid doing our washing, because you’ve got to wash your clothes. No one wants to go around stinking,” she explained. Quigley has opted to forgo the £1.80 drying service, choosing instead to hang her clothes in her room, feeling like she is merely “a money maker for the university.”
The issue of high laundry costs disproportionately affects female students, according to Quigley, as they often require more frequent washes due to menstrual hygiene needs.
Impact on Nursing Students
The financial strain of laundry costs is particularly acute for students in programmes that require uniforms. Erin Moore, a second-year child nursing student, expressed concern that nursing students are significantly disadvantaged by the high laundry fees. “Nursing students are heavily disadvantaged by high laundry costs,” Moore asserted. Despite being provided with four uniforms, students must wash their attire regularly, adding to their laundry expenses.
Moore lamented, “It’s not very fair that there are nursing students down the road at York St John who don’t have to pay as much for their washing.” The cumulative effect of these costs can be overwhelming for students already grappling with the high living expenses associated with university life.
University Response
In response to the concerns raised, a spokesperson for the University of York acknowledged the financial pressures faced by students due to the rising cost of living. The university maintains that its laundry rates remain competitive, stating that they are “significantly lower than local commercial laundrettes” and rank in the lower half of 86 universities served by their laundry provider, Circuit Laundry. The spokesperson noted that prices have only increased by 10p since 2019 and that the contract with Circuit Laundry involved input from the students’ union.
Circuit Laundry, which serves a majority of universities across the UK, emphasised that their pricing strategy varies by location in an effort to keep charges below those of high street laundrettes.
Why it Matters
The escalating costs of laundry services at the University of York highlight a broader issue of affordability for students during a time of economic strain. As they navigate the pressures of university life, students should not have to compromise on basic hygiene due to financial constraints. This situation underscores the urgent need for universities to reassess their service pricing and ensure that students can access essential facilities without undue financial hardship.
