NEARLY half of higher education workers are left with less than £50 each month, a survey found, as a 5 per cent pay offer was branded “entirely inadequate” by Unite.

The poll of more than 1,000 administrative, technical and estate staff revealed that in the last year 8 per cent skipped meals and 32 per cent cut back on heating their homes.

More than half were worried about rent and mortgage payments if their pay doesn’t rise.

Unite is meeting with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) over the pay award it imposed in March for most workers as part of the New Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff.

The committee is asking for RPI plus 2 per cent or £4,000, whichever is greater.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite will be making it clear to UCEA that the 2023/24 pay deal is entirely inadequate and must be improved.”

UCEA’s chief executive Raj Jethwa said: “Recognising the cost-of-living pressures facing staff, UCEA agreed with Unite and the other four trade unions (EIS, GMB, UCU, Unison) to bring forward the 2023-24 pay talks.

“This resulted in a final pay award of between 8 per cent and 5 per cent from August 2023 with almost half of this paid from February, some six months in advance of the usual pay uplift date.

“Despite the financial pressures facing the sector, this pay award is comparable to settlements in the wider economy.”