The British Academy has warned that thousands of job cuts in humanities and social sciences at UK universities are creating widespread cold spots for languages, classics and theology degrees. Analysis of official data reveals that nearly 4,000 academic posts in these fields were axed in the 12 months to December 2024, with 3,000 in social sciences, 820 in humanities and 240 in arts. All but 110 of these cuts occurred at non-Russell Group universities, reducing student choice and potentially exacerbating inequalities.
Financial pressures force cuts across subjects
Universities’ precarious finances have led to redundancies not only in humanities but also in business studies, law and English—subjects considered strategically important and traditionally popular. The subjects with the biggest staff cuts included social work (-9%), English and classics (both -8%), anthropology (-7%) and linguistics (-6%). Business and management lost the most academic posts, with 930 job cuts (a 5% drop in a single year). Education and social work together had nearly 1,000 job losses, English 440, media and journalism 235, performing arts 230, languages 225 and law 215.
Regional cold spots accelerate
The British Academy’s analysis found that some subjects are now virtually impossible to access at less selective universities. Students with lower predicted grades cannot study theology in many parts of the UK, while classics is not available outside the Russell Group in north and south-west England. Very few language degrees exist with below-average entry requirements in south-west, north and east England and the East Midlands. Language staff cuts and course closures were concentrated in south-east England. With more than 1,000 further job losses proposed at Russell Group universities including Exeter, Nottingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow, these cold spots are expected to increase.
Experts warn of social mobility crisis
Hetan Shah, chief executive of the British Academy, said: “This is not just a crisis for higher education—it is a crisis for social mobility, young people’s careers, the skills our economy depends on and the opportunities available in communities across the UK.” He added that universities have been forced to scale back subjects for years, but the problem is now extending to English and business and increasingly affecting Russell Group universities. Shah called the findings a wake-up call for policymakers.
Justine Greening, former Conservative education secretary, said: “Having a range of university courses accessible to a wide range of students from all backgrounds is essential for social mobility, especially for students now staying closer to home to do their degree, due to cost of living pressures.” She emphasised that universities must ensure cuts do not disproportionately affect students from deprived backgrounds.
Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, said: “Humanities are being extinguished by university bosses across the country, and we are now rapidly heading towards a situation where academic institutions as we’ve known them for centuries will no longer exist.” She urged the government to provide an emergency rescue package.
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, acknowledged financial pressures but said: “We should be collectively concerned about a reduction in the pipeline of humanities graduates and the cold spots in knowledge it creates. In an age of AI, we’ll value the understanding of how humans think and act more, not less, in the future.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said universities are independent and responsible for their own finances, but the government is committed to a secure future for universities. They noted actions taken include raising the tuition fee cap and refocusing the Office for Students to support financial stability.
