Students have criticised NUS UK for its failure to represent marginalised student communities, the £30,000 annual cost of affiliation, and its stance on the genocide in Palestine. Ahead of the 2026 referendum, NUS President Amira Campbell has defended the organisation’s value, impact, and national influence.
Ahead of the referendum, Amira said she hopes students will engage more deeply with NUS before casting their vote: “I really hope that we’re able to have conversations with student leaders where they can truly get an understanding of what NUS is, what we do, and the impact and change that we make on students’ everyday lives,” she said.
She continued, “I strongly encourage every student at every campus everywhere to get involved with NUS. The more engagement we get from you, the more powerful and credible our work becomes.”
Speaking amid accusations that NUS UK does not represent student interests or provide value for money, Amira outlined what she described as a series of recent “wins” delivered through national campaigning: “Just this week we’ve seen a massive expansion to youth mobility,” she said. “We’ve also seen maintenance grants being reintroduced.”
Acknowledging that the grants fall short of what many students want, Amira argued that they represent a significant shift after years without access to grants for students alongside their studies: “The door is open after nearly a decade of no student being able to access a grant alongside their studies.”
Amira also pointed to changes secured to the Renters’ Rights Bill, which means that Landlords can no longer charge rent upfront, or charge for more than a year’s worth of rent at a time. It also introduces changes to the student letting season to prevent students from being trapped into houses that are not of the quality they were promised. While the bill aims to help protect all students, it hopes to particularly benefit estranged, low-income, and international students.
“These developments are just an insight into the wins we’ve had over the last few years, never mind the 100+ years worth of representation NUS has provided to students.”
Without a national union, there’s a massive gap there.
Responding to claims that the £30,000 annual affiliation fee paid by NUSU is unjustified, Amira argued that national lobbying delivers tangible financial benefits for students. She highlighted that 95% of Students’ Unions in the UK remain affiliated with NUS, representing more than four million students nationwide, allowing it access to policymakers that individual unions may struggle to reach alone: “It is this collective membership which gives NUS its influence. Without a national union, there’s a massive gap there.
“If you consider the financial changes, social changes, or just the amount of money that we put back in students’ pockets by the things we win, there’s no doubt in my mind that NUS is good value for money, especially in terms of what we deliver, the change we make, and the impact that has on students’ lives.”
Despite advocating for NUSU’s continued affiliation, Amira acknowledged the criticism levelled at NUS UK over it’s handling of pro-Palestinian activism from students and sabbatical officers across the country. She said that NUS recognizes that students feel let down, but framed the current moment as a key opportunity for change, “now is an opportunity for us to turn the ship around, and we intend to do so,” she said.
“I think the honest truth is that the NUS has been absent in this space, and that absence has caused a lot of hurt and distrust. I can’t undo history, but I can say that we’ve turned around and we’re in this space now - whether that’s through our work around student evacuation, or calling it what it is, we are here to speak up about it.”
“Going forward, I really hope we can have open and honest conversations about where NUS has previously fallen short.”
I think it would be really challenging for an individual union to do that with the same level of verity and credibility as the NUS
She also linked the ongoing conflict in Palestine to what she described as broader struggles facing students, from transgender rights, international students fees, the cost of living crisis, and challenging racism, misogyny, and the far right on campus.
“These fights all matter and we must be the organisation standing strong to tackle them.”
“The size and power of NUS allows us to gather and organise MPs to meet on a regular basis and talk about these issues with student leaders across the country. We are able to access the Department of Education and other ministers and make a true difference. I think it would be really challenging for an individual union to do that with the same level of verity and credibility as the NUS,” she added.
Amira encouraged students to engage directly with the organisation, emphasising accessibility and outlining a range of ways students can get involved from becoming representatives, attending campaign days, or signing petitions. She added, “my email is publicly available. Students should feel free to get in touch with me whenever they want.”
Whether these reassurances will be enough to sway student opinion remains to be seen, with campaigning on both sides of the question set to take place from early 2026.