Counting the real cost of student debt | Letters

2026-02-08 - 17:05

Concerns about the cultural damage being done by the student loan system are raised by Prof Vaughan Grylls Your coverage of the dispute between Martin Lewis and the chancellor touches a deeper issue that deserves far more attention (Student loans: why is Martin Lewis clashing with Rachel Reeves?, 3 February). Student “loans” are not really loans. They are, in substance, a graduate tax – compulsory for all but the wealthy, income‐linked, unavoidable and often long‐lasting. Calling them loans is not neutral language; it is a political convenience that removes them from proper democratic scrutiny. Continue reading...