To celebrate NUS National Lobby Day, on October 23rd, Fatima Farha, your VP Welfare & Community, was one of many Full-Time Officers from across the country to be invited to meet with their local MP at UK Parliament and discuss some of the most pressing issues currently affecting the student community. In this article, she shares her thoughts on her experience, some of the topics she discussed with Jessica Toale and what has already been done since that day.
Last month, I was invited to meet Bournemouth West MP Jessica Toale in UK Parliament for NUS National Lobby Day on October 23rd. I came together with officers from around 50 universities across the country and had the opportunity to talk with our local representative and highlight the urgent housing challenges students in our constituency are facing.
With nearly 23,000 students living in Bournemouth, housing remains one of the most pressing issues for our student community. During our meeting, we focused on the Renters’ Rights Bill currently under consideration in Parliament, which, while promising, does not fully address the needs of students.
Guarantor requirements are a significant barrier for many, with 24% of BU students struggling to meet these demands. This disproportionately affects students from low-income backgrounds, international students, and estranged students, leaving them at risk of housing insecurity.
We also raised concerns about the lack of protections for students in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), which is currently excluded from the bill. These gaps mean that many students remain unprotected in an already difficult rental market.
Jessica Toale was receptive to our concerns and has since written to the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, calling for changes to address these issues. While we at the Students’ Union have been working with the university to offer guarantor support, we believe that the most impactful solution would be a legislative ban on these discriminatory practices.
The visit wasn’t all work though! We had the opportunity to tour Parliament, a once in a lifetime experience. Walking through the historic halls of Westminster, we saw democracy in action and even had the chance to attend Prime Minister’s Questions.
The session was a definite highlight, giving us a seat to witness the passionate (and oftentimes humorous) debates shaping national policies. It was great to meet with officers from across the country, as well as Amira Campbell, President of the National Union of Students (NUS), who is leading the ‘No Guarantors’ campaign. Her team’s work on this cause is driving much-needed change, and it’s always inspiring to connect with others working toward similar goals.
At SUBU, we are advocating with students on issues that matter most. As we step into Parliament Week, it’s clear that engaging with democracy is imperative and progress is possible when we lobby our policymakers to ensure student voices are heard.
This campaign has taught me how powerful our collective voice can be, and we’re excited to keep pushing for the change our students deserve. Let’s keep the momentum going - housing that’s affordable, accessible, and fair for all students is within our reach!