The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has once again called on chancellor to do more to financially support tenants and landlords after the government yesterday announced an extra £50m of financial support for students in England to help them with accommodation costs.

Thousands of students will benefit from an additional £50m to support them with financial pressures from the pandemic, the universities minister announced yesterday.

This is in addition to the £20m announced in December, bringing the total to £70m for this financial year.

The new funding means that universities will be able to help students impacted by the pandemic, including those facing additional costs for alternative accommodation.

The increased financial support comes as the majority of students have been asked to continue their studies remotely, as part of measures to reduce the transmission of coronavirus.

This announcement follows the decision from many universities and accommodation providers to offer rent rebates for students who need stay away from their term-time address. The government has encouraged others to join them and offer students partial refunds.

Universities minister Michelle Donelan said: “The additional £50m that we are announcing will mean we have distributed £70m for hardship in this financial year alone – on top of the £256m of government-funded student premium which universities can use for student support this academic year.”

“This additional support will provide real, tangible help for those students struggling financially as a result of the pandemic.”

She added: “The government also welcomes the decision from many universities and accommodation providers to offer rent rebates for students who need stay away from their term-time address, and encourages other to join them and offer students partial refunds.”

Whilst the NRLA welcomes the news of further financial support, it begs the question why student renters are being treated differently to all others, according to Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA.

He commented: “Given students are continuing to receive maintenance loans alongside this new funding, Ministers need to explain why the same support is not being provided to other renters struggling as a result of the pandemic.

“Our figures suggest that seven per cent of private renters have built arrears due to coronavirus whilst the government has admitted that private renters have been hardest hit by the pandemic.

“The chancellor needs urgently to develop a package to help tenants pay off arrears built since lockdown measures started last March just as is happening for students. This is the only way that tenants and landlords can sustain tenancies and ensure renters do not face the damaging consequences of their credit scores being severely impacted.”