On 15 April, King’s College London Student Union (KCLSU) launched its ‘Halls for All’ campaign, led by Welfare & Community Student Officer Haneen Farid, with a banner painting and banner drop action.
The campaign aims to push for an expansion of the eligibility threshold for the King’s Affordable Accommodation Scheme (KAAS), through which students from lower-income households receive subsidised housing in King’s Accommodation. A survey of students on their experiences with housing insecurity, held by Roar, found that many students felt the criteria for students to receive housing support through KAAS were too narrow, leaving students struggling to pay rent.
The launch event began with a session of banner painting, in which twelve students participated. This was followed by the placement of the banner at the main entrance of the King’s Building, where it was prominently displayed to raise awareness among students and staff about the urgent need for more affordable accommodation.
“Students are leading the fight for fairer, more accessible housing – and they’re not backing down.”
A Spokesperson for KCLSU’s Halls for All Campaign
Roar spoke to several students who took part in the action.
One student, Marie Dartigues, a second-year studying History and International Relations, said, “The banner drop was awesome… It was great to see there are other students willing to get together to campaign against this.”
She continued, “The work the campaigns team and our student officers do to champion affordable housing and fight back against the University is really amazing.”
Dartigues cited her frustration at being priced out of King’s accommodation as the impetus for her participation in the campaign, describing the high rents, poor living conditions and limited availability of affordable rooms as major barriers to student life in London.
“The cost of uni halls is absolutely appalling,” said Dartigues. “How many of us really can afford to pay £250–300 a week for rent? There’s only one hall [Wolfson House] available for under £200 a week – which is absolutely insane.”
Dartigues called on King’s to “commit to affordable housing for all of its students”. She urged the University to “actively recognise that these problems exist” and said that “KAAS needs a serious revamp if [King’s] wants to meet the needs of its students.”
Nechama Ambuehl, third-year Maths student, echoed similar frustrations with the limited housing and financial support available at King’s.
She argued, “KCL should raise the cap for those applying for KAAS and generally have more financial support for all students.”
Within hours of students placing the banner at the main entrance of the King’s Building, it was removed by KCL Estates & Facilities. According to a campaign spokesperson, staff cited “health and safety concerns” and a “zero tolerance on political statements outside notice boards” as reasons for its removal.
The banner has since been relocated and is now on display in The Shack.
Between the launch event and the publication of this article, the campaign has already achieved some success, with the University committing to a review of KAAS for the first time in 10 years, with a new working group – co-led by KCL and KCLSU – that will examine all affordable housing options and include direct student representation, including postgraduate and disabled student voices.
A campaign spokesperson told Roar, “These talks are a direct result of pressure from students who are demanding better – and who are refusing to be ignored.”
While the spokesperson welcomed the opportunity for dialogue with the University, they stressed that discussions alone are not enough.
“Any solution must centre on those most in need of affordable housing, and be grounded in the reality of our lives. We need action – not just consultation – and we’ll continue to hold the University accountable until that action is taken,” a spokesperson said.
The launch of the ‘Halls for All’ campaign comes after an investigation by Roar last month revealed that four King’s students in the academic year 2023-24 reported street homelessness.
Roar’s investigation also uncovered that students experiencing housing insecurity often struggled to access support services, citing long waiting times for hardship funding and a lack of clear communication from the University’s wellbeing services.
A King’s College London spokesperson said:
“Each year we work together with KCLSU to consider all aspects costs of living, utility bills, transport costs to campus and the range and price of accommodation available to our students. Due to the addition of iQ vega this year, we have been able to increase the amount of accommodation that is set aside as part of the King’s Affordable Accommodation Scheme to 23%.”
To find out more about the ‘Halls for All’ campaign, visit the dedicated page on the KCLSU website.
