Business
University students ‘overwhelmed’ by managing finances in London
Gem O’ReillyLondon and
Harry CraigLondon
BBC / Gem O’ReillyLike many of the more than half a million students studying in London, Thomas Murch finds coping with finances an ongoing struggle.
“The cost of living has increased a lot, so doing the things I would normally do requires more money, and it’s very hard for me to balance the wants with the needs.
“There’s so much I want to do, but there’s so much I have to take care of first.”
Thomas is a student at the University of East London (UEL), and works with the Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) to teach students how to budget.
This includes help in signing up for bursaries or other programmes to obtain full funding entitlements, and supporting career development.
Thomas said the SMART team helped him to stay in control of his finances, including how to “make sure my needs are met before I deal with my wants”.
As students return to universities and the new academic year, the 2025 National Student Money Survey found an average student in London spends £1,269 a month, covering basics like rent, bills and food.
Undergraduate tuition fees also rose from £9,250 to £9,535 in September 2025, the first increase since 2017.
BBC / Gem O’ReillyKayode, a final year masters student at UEL, said he worried about his finances “a lot of the time”.
“You have to pay rent, go grocery shopping for food, and find your way to work and classes.”
Research by Visa, which surveyed 275 London students and 2,000 undergraduates nationally, suggested he is not alone.
The vast majority – 84% – of students surveyed in the capital said they felt “overwhelmed” by managing their money.
Another financial burden for students in London is the cost of transport.
The capital’s Tube network is the most expensive of any major global city, with a single journey costing between £2.50 and £3.80.
UEL undergraduate student Viga Lukita raised travel costs as a concern, but said she uses the Student Oyster Card and travelled during off-peak hours to save money.
The start of the new academic year comes as social mobility charity The Sutton Trust warned pupils from private schools “are maintaining a vice-like grip on the most important roles in society“.
Data from the trust indicated the UK’s most powerful and influential people are five times as likely to have attended private school than the general population.
Getty ImagesUEL is ranked the UK’s most accessible university for low-income groups, and 77% of its UK students come from the most deprived homes.
Prof Amanda Broderick, vice-chancellor and president of UEL, said: “Talent is evenly spread across society, but opportunity isn’t.”
She said the university provides more than £7m in bursaries and hardship funds each year, as well as running financial literacy courses and setting up a student essentials larder.
Prof Broderick also said the university supports its students to work part-time alongside their studies.
Research by the Higher Education Policy Institute suggests more than two-thirds of full-time students now work during term time – an increase on 2023.
One of these is UEL masters student Anand Sasi Kumar, who struggled to manage his money when he started his studies but getting a job helped him survive.
“Once I got into work, I could budget everything much better and easily.
“If you’re lucky enough to find a part-time job and you earn good money, it’s easier for you.
“When I started earning, I could start to go out more and see more places.”
BBC / Gem O’ReillyEmily Crook, a student at the BPP Law School in central London, shared some of the tricks she uses to save money.
They include looking for reduced items in supermarkets that can be frozen and kept for later, using online platforms to resell or buy clothes, and using apps to accumulate money-saving points, like Nectar card and Clubcard.
Anand recommended options such as getting council tax discounts and using railcards for rail travel.
Advice from Money Saving Expert said students should research the best bank account for them, use websites like Unidays for discounts, and ensure tenancy deposits are protected.
Britain’s competition watchdog has vowed to tackle fake and misleading online reviews “head on” as it launched investigations into firms including Just Eat and Autotrader.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said reviews are used by 90% of consumers when they buy over the internet and play a large part in the UK’s over £200 billion online retail sector.
But up to 50% of online reviews are fake, according to recent research by tech firm Truth Engine.
The CMA said its latest action against firms comes as part of a clampdown on fake and misleading reviews as shoppers increasingly rely on customer feedback when shopping online.
Emma Cochrane, executive director for consumer protection at the CMA, told the Press Association: “It’s so important that consumers can have trust in those reviews because we know that nine in 10 of us rely on them when we’re shopping, and that retail shopping in the UK is billions of pounds worth a year.
“It’s so important that consumers can have trust and confidence when they’re shopping online.”
Here are the CMA’s tips for spotting and avoiding fake reviews:
– Read the reviews
Shoppers often get taken in by five-star ratings without actually reading what people have to say about a product or service.
“You’ll be surprised at how many reviews sound dubious, overly vague or even totally unrelated to the item they’re supposedly endorsing,” the CMA said.
– Be alert to AI-generated reviews
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to make fake reviews sound fluent, polished and highly convincing.
“If a review feels a bit too slick, reads like it’s been perfectly crafted, or uses very similar wording to others, it may not reflect a real customer’s experience,” the CMA warned.
– Take a look at the other ratings
Look beyond the five-star ratings.
Three or four-star reviews are less likely to be fake, and they can be more useful to give a genuine, overall assessment.
– Check out multiple sites
Looking across several sites can help shoppers see patterns and provide a more consistent picture.
“Check a few different review sites. If you’re seeing the same kind of reviews coming up again and again, it’s more likely to be fake,” said Ms Cochrane.
The UK’s competition watchdog says it is looking at five firms in its investigation into misleading online reviews.
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Business
Gold price today (March 25, 2026): How much 24K and 22K gold cost in Delhi, Mumbai & more- Check rates – The Times of India
Gold futures traded higher on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) on Friday with key contracts registering gains of up to 1.6 per cent amid firm buying interest and supportive global cues.The April 2026 gold contract rose by Rs 2,290, or 1.64 per cent, to trade at Rs 1,41,783 per 10 grams. The contract moved between an intraday low of Rs 1,40,287 and a high of Rs 1,42,800. The June 2026 contract, which saw higher trading activity, gained Rs 1,921, or 1.35 per cent, to Rs 1,44,435 per 10 grams. During the session, it touched a low of Rs 1,43,652 and a high of Rs 1,45,773. Meanwhile, the August 2026 contract advanced by Rs 1,480, or 1.02 per cent, to Rs 1,47,100 per 10 grams, with an intraday range of Rs 1,47,040 to Rs 1,48,600.Here is how gold prices stand across major cities today:
Gold price in Delhi today
Gold prices in the national capital declined, with 24K gold quoted at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold slipped Rs 200 to Rs 13,280 per gram.
Gold price in Mumbai today
Mumbai bullion markets also saw a drop, with 24K gold priced at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Chennai today
Chennai recorded a sharper decline, with 24K gold selling at Rs 14,651 per gram, down Rs 262, while 22K gold dropped Rs 240 to Rs 13,430 per gram.
Gold price in Kolkata today
In Kolkata, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold stood at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Hyderabad today
Hyderabad markets reflected a similar trend, with 24K gold priced at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,265 per gram, slipping Rs 200.
Gold price in Bangalore today
In Bangalore, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,471 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold was selling at Rs 13,265 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Ahmedabad today
Ahmedabad bullion markets showed declines, with 24K gold at Rs 14,476 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold fell Rs 200 to Rs 13,270 per gram.
Gold price in Lucknow today
In Lucknow, 24K gold was priced at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold moved lower by Rs 200 to Rs 13,280 per gram.
Gold price in Patna today
Patna markets also recorded weaker rates, with 24K gold quoted at Rs 14,476 per gram, down Rs 218, and 22K gold at Rs 13,270 per gram, lower by Rs 200.
Gold price in Jaipur today
In Jaipur, 24K gold was quoted at Rs 14,486 per gram, down Rs 218, while 22K gold stood at Rs 13,280 per gram, down Rs 200.
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