The Economic Injustice of Durham College Accommodation Pricing
- Oliver Sherwood
- Oct 2
- 3 min read
For the first time in Durham University’s history, the cost of a standard catered college room with shared bathroom facilities has crossed into five figures. A single year in such accommodation will now cost £10,232. This milestone is not just alarming—it is unjustifiable.
At Durham University Student Think Tank, we argue that any potential defences of these price hikes collapse under scrutiny. There are three claims that could be used to excuse the rise in fees:
“Accommodation costs have only risen in line with inflation.”
“Property values have increased dramatically, and accommodation prices must follow.”
“Maintenance loans have risen substantially, so students can afford it.”
Each argument clearly fails when investigated.
1. “Accommodation costs have only risen in line with inflation.”
At first glance, this seems plausible. Prices across the economy have risen since 2013. According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), cumulative inflation from January 2013 to September 2025 is around 46%. The average cost of a pint, the classic British way of assessing the value of money, has increased by £2.20 since 2013.
In 2013, a first-year Durham student in standard catered accommodation paid £5,955 for 39 weeks (including 19 meals per week, a single bed, and shared bathroom facilities). In 2025, that same package costs £10,232—a rise of 71%, far higher than the CPI presents.
Even if we use the Retail Price Index (RPI), which tends to show higher inflation, cumulative inflation is around 60% at most. Either way, Durham’s accommodation price rise has far outpaced both CPI and RPI.
2. “Property values have increased dramatically, and accommodation prices must follow.”
It is true that property values in County Durham have risen significantly. The average property price increased from £94,732 in 2013 to £140,000 in 2025 (Land Registry 2022; ONS 2025. Despite this mass increase, it still remains at only 47%.
If accommodation costs had risen in line with this property value increase, today’s catered, standard room would cost £8,754. Instead, Durham students are charged £10,232—nearly £1,500 more for the same 39 weeks. Put another way, this is an unjustified £5 extra per day with no clear rationale.
3. “Maintenance loans have risen significantly, so students can afford it.”
This argument initially appears convincing. In 2013, the maximum maintenance loan was £5,500, while in 2025 it is £10,544. On the surface, this suggests accommodation is now better value: in 2013, the maximum loan could not cover full accommodation, but in 2025 it technically can.
However, this reasoning ignores a critical fact: very few students actually receive the maximum loan. A fairer measure is the average maintenance loan, which reflects what most students rely on.
In 2013, the average loan was £3,840 (DBIS, 2013), covering about 64% of the accommodation cost.
In 2025, the average loan is £5,820 (Confused.com), covering only 56% of the cost.
So despite the headline increase in loan amounts, average students today are 8% worse off relative to accommodation costs than their 2013 counterparts.
The weakness of these three defences exposes the reality: Durham’s college accommodation pricing is indefensible. It is particularly unjust in light of the sector’s financial strength. HESA estimates that UK university income increased by 77% between 2013 and 2023. With such growth, Durham has even less justification for imposing disproportionately high costs on students already struggling with living expenses.
The leap from £5,955 in 2013 to £10,232 in 2025 is not a fair reflection of inflation, property values, or student income. Instead, it represents a deliberate pricing choice that burdens students beyond reasonable justification. The economic evidence is clear: Durham’s accommodation charges are excessive, inequitable, and exploitative.
What can be done?
Something must change. Yet right now, Durham’s governance can feel distant and untouchable. The people deciding these fees are not the ones students see in lecture halls, libraries, or college dining rooms. So how do we make them listen? How do we present the student's side of the story?
That’s exactly what the DU Student Think Tank exists to do: identify problems, propose solutions, and give students a voice where it matters.
Just by reading and liking this article, you are helping us secure a platform to challenge DU governance directly — to show that these price hikes are unjust, and to demand that accommodation costs be capped, at the very most, in line with inflation.
Together, we can make it impossible for the University to ignore the voices of the students who live, study, and struggle under these rising costs. Click below to be part of the change.
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