With the introduction of top up fees this year, students are hit with news that rent is steadily increasing as well. While the government supplies the common response that graduates benefit significantly in terms of post education salary, students are starting to question how much debt the government thinks is acceptable for a graduate.

Once again London tops the list as the most expensive place for students to live with average rent reaching £100 a week. Meanwhile across the border in Wales student's flats average a remarkable £67. Along with rent, the average housing deposit has increased by 21% to £182 nationally, a figure envied by most Imperial students.

Bill Rammell, the Higher Education Minister, has responded to the survey results, commenting "Students beginning university this year will have nothing to pay until they have finished studying and are earning over £15,000, and in addition they are benefiting from the reintroduction of non repayable grants worth £2,700 a year, as well as from the many generous bursaries offered by universities". But this offers little reassurance to this year's freshers who will be graduating with tuition fee debts alone of over £10,000, excluding the additonal debt of student loans for living.

Meanwhile the average cost of a house in the UK has risen past the £192,000 mark this year and are still increasing, posing real issues for new graduates looking for a house and starting a family with debt carried over from University.

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