Cost of living: Manchester students get £170 payment

Celina Pereira (left), Tesnime Safraou (back left), Emily Turvey (back right) and Robbie Beale (right) - all campaigned for the University to receive the funding.

Could you convince your uni to come up with a £9 million support package?

That's exactly what students at the University of Manchester have done.

Those studying full-time have been given a one-off £170 payment to help with the cost of living. Part-time students will receive £85.

"There are students who are already struggling intensely financially - what kind of university do we want to be?" says Robbie Beale, from the Students' Union.

Robbie says it all started in September.

"We got £100,000 for microwaves and boiling water taps all over campus, so people can bring in their own food and heat it up.

"It just ramped up stage by stage."

'Food running out'

Tesnime Safraou, the university's city and community officer say housing costs and bills are the big things on most students' minds.

"Our advice service has been flooded with requests like 'where can I get help to pay my bills? I can't even find accommodation, because it's too expensive.".

So how are students planning on using the money?

Ruby says the payment will help her to eat more nutritious food

"The last few weeks have been quite a strain. Trying to get through to the end of term without food running out," says Ruby Prior, a 20-year-old psychology student.

"I think I'm just grateful I have my overdraft.

"That £170 is going to come in so useful for food. I've been buying the bare minimum, and now I can go back to actually cooking proper meals."

Inflation has been a big reason for the price of food going up - that's the rate at which prices are rising. This has dropped back slightly, but inflation remains near a 40-year high.

"I reckon I'll treat myself to a roast chicken. Meat is so expensive but it's so important in the winter to have proper filling meals," says Ruby.

Joss Ball plans to use the payment towards her bills

Joss Ball, a 21-year-old psychology student, tells Newsbeat: "It's definitely gonna go in my savings or towards my bills, because my bills next year are so expensive.

"All the bills are going up it could be £90 more a month for us."

The National Union of Students (NUS) has previously said unions were having to step in to help those studying with rising costs.

And charities have said they're worried that poorer students will be hit harder as it becomes harder to pay for essentials.

Some universities have been offering help with food, such as free breakfasts, or pantries where people can pick up cut-price ingredients.

Manchester University says it also plans to provide cheaper food options, free microwave and hot water facilities, showers and period products.

It previously announced a £1,000 cost-of-living payment for all staff earning less than £71,000 a year and a 3% pay rise for graduate teaching assistants.