What does the Students' Union actually do?

With LeadMCR elections for Students’ Union Executive Officers around the corner, the question for many students seems to be: why should I care?

In order to help students gain a better understanding of the importance of the Union in university life ahead of the upcoming elections, here’s an explanation of what the SU does, and how it does it.

According to the outline of their 2024-29 strategy on their website, the University of Manchester Students’ Union is “dedicated to empowering students to reshape their lives through active engagement.” Through its work, the Students' Union aims at a basic level to improve quality of life for students by pursuing policies that aim to support students economically and socially through work across issues of housing, affordability, mental health, academic workload, and employment.

The SU is also responsible for management of societies and clubs, and manages a number of student facilities including the new Essentials centre on Oxford Road.

A Students’ Union, according to the Education Act 1994, is there to “represent the generality of students” at a particular establishment, and “[promote] the general interests of its members as student's.” In order to follow through on these aims, the Union receives a significant amount of funding – the movement of which is kept transparent via the Union’s entry on the Register of Charities of the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Over the 2023-24 financial year, the Union received £3,022,418 in block funding from the University (in 2022-23, it was £2, 816,089), and a further £375, 476 in restricted grants (£219, 481 in 2022). Much of this money goes towards staff costs (48%) and student resources. In 2024, there was “much needed investment in our building facilities and digital equipment.” There is also surplus at the end of each year, a requirement of charities. In 2024 this was £664,234, and in 2023, £114, 709.

The LeadMCR elections offer an opportunity for you, as a student voter, to influence how this year’s budget will be spent, and how your Union can best fulfil its agreement to support you.

As per the Union’s governing document as a charity:

“The objects of the Union are the advancement of education of students at the University of Manchester for the public benefit by: Promoting the interests and welfare of students at University of Manchester during their course of study and representing, supporting and advising students; being the recognised representative channel between students and the University of Manchester and any other external bodies; and providing social, cultural, sporting and recreational activities and forums for discussions and debate for the personal development of its students.”