You and Yours

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You and Yours: Student Accommodation; Post-pandemic Spending; Broadband

17/02/2021

Student Accommodation; Post-pandemic Spending; Broadband

BBC Radio 4 - You and Yours, Student Accommodation; Post-pandemic Spending; Broadband

What next for students who've been paying for accommodation they've barely been living in?

What next for students who have been paying for accommodation they have barely been living in because of coronavirus restrictions?

Thousands of students are waiting to hear whether they can return to campus after a year spent largely in limbo. Many are still paying rent to private landlords or university halls of residence even though they're living at home with parents because of lockdown. Some have received partial refunds but many have been left out of pocket. A survey out today estimates UK students have paid almost a billion pounds in rent for rooms they've hardly stayed in. We talk to students about what they plan to do when they're finally allowed back and their hopes for their studies into the next academic year.

Some economists predict a second 'Roaring 20s' when the restrictions are eased and people are free to spend money in shops, pubs and businesses again. The Bank of England says we've saved about a fifth of what we'd normally spend in a year. So will all that cash be readily released in an economy-boosting boom? Or has the pandemic inculcated caution in us, with more of us likely to hold on to any extra cash for fear of the future?

And of all the things that have been fast-forwarded because of Covid-19, the importance of broadband is one of the most striking.  But while the Government committed to providing a decent broadband service for everyone at the start of the first lockdown in March 2020, many are still frustrated by slow speeds.
We'll speak to an expert and answer some of your most 'frequently asked questions' about getting a good broadband service.

Presenter: Winifred Robinson
Producer: Simon Hoban

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Student Accommodation; Post-pandemic Spending; Broadband

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