More than 170,000 current and former students are pursuing legal action against 36 universities in the UK, claiming they did not receive the full education they paid for during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The mass legal action follows a confidential settlement between University College London and the Student Group Claim, which now represents students and graduates from other institutions. Pre-action letters have been sent to each university, warning that damages will be sought for courses delivered online rather than in-person.
The new claims target universities including Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Manchester. The legal action focuses on the tuition fee difference between online and in-person courses, with an economic analysis of lost learning forming the basis of the cases.
UCL, which settled a case involving 6,000 students, did not admit liability. A court hearing is scheduled for March, and the deal has opened the way for large-scale legal action against the university sector.
During the pandemic, most university teaching shifted online, with students either returning home or restricted to university accommodation. Access to facilities was limited, particularly affecting courses requiring specialist equipment, such as fine art or applied arts. Graduation ceremonies were often virtual or delayed.
Shimon Goldwater, a partner at Asserson Solicitors, described the learning lost during Covid as “one of the great injustices to come out of the pandemic – and it’s never been remedied.”
Universities UK, which represents over 140 institutions, defended the schools, stating the pandemic was an “unprecedented challenge” and that universities had to “adapt to a fast-changing situation.” A spokesperson noted that during lockdown periods, universities were not permitted to offer in-person teaching and instead adjusted quickly and creatively to allow students to complete their degrees.
The government had stated at the time that universities were responsible for setting their own fees and were expected to continue delivering a high-quality education.
The claims relate to the academic years 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22, with some courses still partially online during 2022-23. Some students also experienced further disruption due to strikes over pay and conditions.
Pre-action letters note that students “suffered disappointment and distress as a result of the failure of the university to provide the services promised.” The deadline for Covid-related claims is September 2026.
The 36 universities receiving pre-action letters include: Bath, Birmingham, Birmingham City, Bristol, Cardiff, City St George’s University of London, Coventry, De Montfort, East Anglia, Exeter, Imperial College London, Kent, King’s College London, Leeds, Leeds Beckett, Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores, London School of Economics, Loughborough, Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan, Newcastle, Nottingham, Nottingham Trent, Northumbria, Portsmouth, Queen Mary University of London, Reading, Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam, Southampton, Swansea, University of the Arts London, University of the West of England, Warwick, and York.
