Students get to work

The number of students working their way through university has doubled, a poll carried out for NatWest found.

Researchers say nearly half of 2,000 students questioned in English, Scottish and Welsh universities said they had jobs.

Last year the figure was just under one in four (22%).

The survey also suggests that students are tightening their belts when it comes to alcohol.

Students' weekly spending

Spending on drink went down from £24.10 a week last year to £16.61 this year.

But spending on drink still exceeded that on books - which accounted for £7.51 of their weekly outlay, up from £5.94 last year.

It is estimated that most students will graduate with debts of about £10,000.

The research found that students' weekly bills for gas, water and electricity came to £9.66, up from £8.43.

Spending on food rose to £17.20 a week from £16.74, while on clothing it fell from £11.20 to £10.47.

In total, students spent an average of £41.70 a week having a good time, including £12.39 on cigarettes and £12.70 on going out, down from £51.14 a week last year, the survey found.

NatWest's head of student and graduate banking, Ann-Marie Blake, said: "The cost of living and studying at university is increasing each year.

"It's interesting that students are spending less on their social lives and that more are holding down part-time jobs.

"It's shown how important it is to strike a balance between work, study and fun."