NUS - National Students' Union

The National Union of Students (NUS) is a confederation of more than 600 student unions across the country, designed to represent the needs of its members on a national scale.

Through campaigning, targeted action and lobbying the Government, NUS UK represents students’ interests and develops research to influence national policy. On key issues to students, such as housing to tuition fees, the NUS works to promote and defend the rights of students, and to champion the work of student unions across the country.

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Understanding the relationship between LUU and NUS

Each year, LUU is represented by its delegates at two conferences – NUS National Conference and NUS Liberation Conference. Conferences are a space where students from across the country come together, bringing forward ideas about what the NUS should be seen to be vocal and visible about in its campaigning for the coming year.

LUU currently pays £30,000 per year to NUS UK to support its campaigning.

The National Conference, elected by students here at LUU, focuses on issues that affect students across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Leeds has an entitlement reflecting its size, of 12 delegates, listening, taking part in workshops and voting on what the NUS will be vocal and visible on for the coming year. Every year, there are either full-time, or voluntary elections at the Conference too.

The Liberation Conference focuses on marginalised communities from the following identities: LGBTQ+ students, Women students, Trans students, Black students, and Disabled students. The Liberation Conference lets people from those communities set the agenda for the NUS’s campaigns and elect the delegation and steering committees that lead on making that policy happen. Participants in the Liberation Conference are usually appointed from the representatives of liberation groups within the students’ union.

Following the NUS’ reorganisation in 2020, NUS UK is separate from NUS Charity. NUS UK is the democratic campaigning arm of the NUS. NUS Charity is a membership body who supports Student Unions to develop through training, and resources. It also has a trading arm, which allows us to offer discounted prices in our venues. The referendum does not cover LUU’s membership of NUS Charity.

Should LUU continue its affiliation as a member of NUS (UK)?

Thank you to all of our students who voted in the NUS (UK) Referendum. We can announce that while 303 votes were cast, 1,500 were needed to ensure the decision would be representative. Because the result is not quorate, LUU will remain a member of NUS (UK).

The breakdown was as follows:

Votes to disaffiliate from NUS (UK): 189

Votes to remain affiliated to NUS (UK): 114

Why you might want to vote "Yes"

The NUS supported students in various ways, especially in relation to housing, cost of living, and representation.

For example, University of Leeds students have received £79.000 in hardship support and maintenance funding increases, £2 cap on bus fares in England has been introduced, and sector-leading research on student cost-of-living crisis has been conducted in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Furthermore, student renters in England are now protected in Renters’ Reform Bill.

Why you might want to vote "No"

An Independent Investigation into antisemitism within the organisation found that it did not “sufficiently or robustly challenge antisemitism and hostility towards Jewish students in its own structures”. The report found that recommendations from “numerous” previous investigations had been implemented inconsistently.

The NUS has since apologised to Jewish students and has committed to implementing all 11 of the report’s recommendations.