Students Face High Laundry Costs at University of York

The expense of doing laundry at the University of York has become so high that students are reportedly forced to choose between buying food or washing their clothes, according to the University of York Students' Union (York SU).

York SU stated that washing and drying clothes in university-owned accommodation costs £5.10 per load.

Sam Dickinson, wellbeing officer at the union, highlighted that this fee is £2.10 more expensive per wash than the charges at nearby York St John University. He emphasized the impact of these prices on students, saying:

"Everyone deserves to have clean clothes and high laundry prices are a barrier to that."

A spokesperson for York University responded by affirming the institution's commitment to providing high-quality and competitively priced laundry services.

Student Experiences with Laundry Costs

Cathy Hamilton, a 20-year-old second-year psychology student, shared her personal experience, revealing that she spent up to £20 per week on laundry during her first year.

"I was having to pull money out of savings in order to afford to do my washing,"

she said, adding,

"It is crazy the amount that we are having to pay."

First-year history student Ellie May Quigley also described adjusting her laundry habits due to the cost.

"I tried to do fewer loads of laundry because of the expense,"

she said, while noting the necessity of washing clothes regularly:

"We can't avoid doing our washing, because you've got to wash your clothes. No-one wants to go around stinking."

Quigley mentioned that she opts not to use the drying service, which costs £1.80 per cycle, choosing instead to hang her clothes to dry in her bedroom.

"It feels like I'm just a money maker for the university."

She also pointed out that the costs disproportionately affect female students, who often need to do more laundry during their menstrual periods.

Union Survey and Cost Breakdown

Sam Dickinson conducted a survey of students at Russell Group universities across the UK to compile a report on laundry service costs at universities.

He noted that the high laundry prices at York contribute to an already significant cost of living for students in the city.

"Students are being forced to not wear clean clothes and I think that's just not fair, it's a matter of dignity at university,"

Dickinson explained that the cost paid by students at the University of York consists of a base rate set by the laundry provider, Circuit Laundry, plus an additional amount determined by the university.

He contrasted this with the cost at neighbouring York St John University, where the price for on-campus laundry is only £3 per load, partly due to the use of a different provider.

Impact on Nursing Students

Erin Moore, a 20-year-old second-year child nursing student, described how students in her course face additional laundry demands because of required uniforms.

"Nursing students are heavily disadvantaged by high laundry costs,"

she said, adding that extra washing is essential for their degree.

Moore explained that although nursing students receive four uniforms, they are advised not to travel to placements wearing them, requiring them to wash a white tunic and navy trousers for every shift, in addition to their commute clothes.

"It's not very fair that there are nursing students down the road at York St John who don't have to pay as much for their washing,"

she said, further noting,

"The cost really adds up over time. Such high prices for laundry create added financial pressure, in an already expensive city."

University and Provider Responses

A University of York spokesperson acknowledged the financial pressures students face related to the cost of living.

They stated that the current laundry rates remain significantly lower than those at local commercial laundrettes and rank in the lower half of the 86 universities served by Circuit Laundry.

The spokesperson added that the contract with Circuit Laundry was awarded following a process involving the students' union and that prices for a wash and dry have increased by only 10p since 2019.

Circuit Laundry, which serves more than 90% of universities across the UK as the leading student laundry provider, explained their pricing approach.

"We set pricing on a site by site basis,"

a spokesperson said, adding,

"Our aim is to keep charges significantly below nearby high street launderettes, and that's why pricing will vary across...