Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support available to PhD students in the context of the increases in the cost of living.

We have listened to the feedback from PhD students, which is why on 2 September 2022, UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) announced an increase to the minimum stipend paid to UKRI-funded doctoral students who commenced or are continuing their UKRI-funded studentship from 1 October 2022 to £17,668 full time equivalent. This is a 10% increase on the previously announced level for the 2022/23 academic year.

The increase forms part of the ongoing work to develop a New Deal for Postgraduate Research, as committed to in the R&D People and Culture Strategy. UKRI has committed to reviewing how the minimum stipend is set, and will communicate the level for the 2023/24 academic year in due course.