Single-lever policy simulation · immigration
Student visa grants
This report models the effect of raising student visa grants from 400k/yr to 550k/yr — with every other government policy left unchanged — on the economy, the public finances, housing and the workforce, projected over 10 years.
Eases GDP strength, Fiscal pressure and Working-age population, but worsens Rent pressure, Public satisfaction and Political risk.
A single lever moved in isolation — which no real government does. Figures are modelled projections, not predictions. How the model works →
Direct effects
▲GDP strength
moderate improvementWhy: International students bring tuition fees (avg £20–25k) and local spending, boosting GDP
▲Rent pressure
moderate pressureWhy: Student populations add concentrated demand for housing in university cities
▲Working-age population
moderate improvementWhy: Students who stay after graduating add to the working-age population
Knock-on effects
Reached indirectly, as the direct effects propagate through the system. Ordering reflects how the effect spreads, not a literal sequence in time.
Model output — exact figures
Index points on a 0–100 scale. Lower is better for pressure metrics; higher is better for outcomes like GDP and satisfaction.