English universities’ income falls for third consecutive year

Office for Students says declining international student numbers will lead to more cuts on campus

Universities in England have experienced a fall in income for the third year in a row, according to the higher education regulator, as it warned that declining international student numbers would translate into more cuts on campuses.

The Office for Students' (OfS) annual financial health check found that many universities were trying to repair budget deficits by slashing building and maintenance spending as well as cutting courses and staff, with the sector expected to sell off more than 400m worth of land and property this year.