Student loans should be a benefit

If  I quit university today and decided to live on benefits, the minimum I would be entitled to is £7,053.59 a year. Money which I would not have to pay back.

But, because I am a student, not just am I entitled to less,  just over £3,000, I also have to pay it back. #WTF

For many, the purpose of being at uni is so they can get a job at the end of their degree that will leave them as high earners. Being a high earner puts you in the 45% tax bracket.

So not just are you directly paying back your £3,000 a year (plus interest), you’re also paying it back over and over again every year through income tax, not to mention contributions through VAT, council tax & stamp duty etc…

There are 5.7 million people on benefits and only around 400,000 students. Why should a small number of people have to pay back a small amount, whilst a large number of people don’t have to pay back a large amount.

This is not an attack on benefits, I’m not saying people on benefits should have to pay back their money, what I am saying is that students shouldn’t. Student finance should be a benefit.

Using the benefits system as a comparable example shows how economically persecuted students are compared to the rest of the population, if you don’t treat people on benefits this harshly then why is it okay to drain students.

The point is that my future tax contributions should cover my maintenance loan.

The situation that faces us now is that we have to put ourselves around £50,000 in debt to get a degree just so we can pay more tax. It seems easier, and better for my wallet to not get a degree.

You don’t need a degree to know that an educated population leads to a vibrant economy. So why does the government make it so hard, so unattractive, and so expensive to become educated?

The whole point of a tax system that redistributes wealth is that it helps the poorest to give them a fighting chance. Whats a better example of this than students…

For more from the Tab, like our Facebook and follow our Twitter.