NUS UK Referendum 2025 Landing Page
On Wednesday 9th April 2025, the Students' Union’s Student Senate resolved to call a referendum on the Union's affiliation to NUS UK.
How do I vote in the referendum?
The question wording is: ‘Should Winchester Students’ Union disaffiliate from the National Union of Students UK (NUS UK)?’
All current student members will have the opportunity to vote on their preference (YES or NO) via online secret ballot. Voting will be open from 9am Tuesday 13th May 2025 and close at 3pm Friday 16th May 2025.
The outcome of the referendum will determine if Winchester Students' Union will renew our membership to NUS UK for the 2025/26 academic year.
On this page
What is the National Union of Students (NUS)?
What are the types of NUS membership?
What is our current membership to NUS?
Why are we having a referendum?
What is the referendum process?
Why should I vote 'YES' or 'NO' in this referendum?
What will NOT change regardless of the referendum outcome?
How do I vote in the referendum?
What is the National Union of Students (NUS)?
The National Union of Students (NUS) is a confederation of currently around 400 students' unions, amounting to a high percentage of all higher and further education unions in the UK, and represents the interests of more than four million students. NUS is a voluntary membership organisation which carries out campaigns and lobbying activity on behalf of students and its member students' unions to make a difference to the lives of students.
The NUS is more than just one organisation - it is made up of separate companies:
- NUS (UK) is the campaigning organisation that is responsible for championing student issues on a national level.
- NUS Charity is separate and exists to support the development of students' unions.
Read more about the NUS on their website
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What are the types of NUS membership?
The term ‘affiliation to NUS’ can be ambiguous since there are different levels of membership related to the two separate companies of which the NUS is comprised. These are the ‘National Union of Students (UK)’ and ‘NUS Students’ Unions Charitable Services Ltd’.
- National Union of Students (UK) membership – This is a membership to the student voice organisation ‘NUS (UK)’ which delivers campaigns and national representation, currently costing SUs 2% of their block grant. To end membership at NUS UK, students must vote on affiliation by secret ballot (a referendum).
For the current academic year (2024-2025), affiliation to NUS UK cost Winchester Students’ Union £5020.92
- NUS Students’ Unions Charitable Services Ltd membership – Also known as ‘NUS Charity’, this is a membership to the students’ union development and support aspect of NUS, currently costing SUs 0.5% of their block grant. This referendum is not in relation to the Union's affiliation to NUS Charity.
For the current academic year (2024-2025), affiliation to NUS Charity cost Winchester Students’ Union £1225.23 (this is inclusive of a discount as we are also members of NUS UK)
You also may have heard of NUS Services Limited (NUSSL) - this is the trading element of NUS or ‘buying consortium’ where SUs procure supplies for bars and entertainment via collective buying power facilitated through the NUS. This is automatically included within the NUS Charity membership (it is a social enterprise subsidiary of NUS Charity).
Please note: For this referendum, students will vote on the Union’s affiliation to ‘NUS UK’ ONLY because it has the most significant implications financially and politically. The NUS Charity membership is an operational and commercial affiliation and is not included in the proposed referendum.
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What is our current membership to NUS and how much does it cost us?
Winchester Student’s Union currently has a 'dual membership', which means we are affiliated to the NUS (UK) and NUS Charity. There are separate fees for being affiliated to either of these elements of NUS. The Union currently pays fees to be affiliated to both.
For the current academic year (2024-2025), affiliation to NUS UK cost Winchester Students’ Union £5020.92
For the current academic year (2024-2025), affiliation to NUS Charity cost Winchester Students’ Union £1225.23 (this is inclusive of a discount as we are also members of NUS UK)
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Why are we having a referendum?
We are student-led
As a member-led organisation that believes that students should shape the communities they are part of, it is important for Winchester Students’ Union to recognise that students’ stance on affiliation to the NUS is critical and may fluctuate as time passes. In order to disaffiliate from the ‘NUS UK’ element of the National Union of Students, it is good practice for students at the member organisations to vote on affiliation via an all-student secret ballot (a referendum).
NUS Cost and Impact
It is commonplace for students to wonder whether Students' Unions should affiliate to NUS UK due to a range of factors - these can be political, social, or economic.
Over the past few years, our Elected Officers of the Executive Committee, and student representatives who sit on Winchester Students' Union's Student Senate, have discussed, and debated the Union's ongoing affiliation to NUS UK. These discussions points have touched on a variety of topics, including the extent of NUS' value and impact, in relation to its cost. For example, some representatives have questioned whether the annual membership fee may be better spent elsewhere. As a result of these discussions, a motion was raised and approved by Student Senate to put the matter of the Union's affiliation to NUS UK to our members to be decided by referendum.
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What is the referendum process?
The rules and regulations concerning referenda are outlined in Section 18 of the Union’s Constitution and in Section 22: Referenda Regulations and Appendix: Referenda Guidance of the Union’s Bye-Law 3.
In this instance, a call for a referendum has been made by a majority vote of Student Senate.
The Official Question wording is:
"Should Winchester Students' Union disaffiliate from the National Union of Students UK (NUS UK)?"
Students may vote YES, Winchester Students' Union should disaffiliate from NUS UK or
NO, Winchester Students' Union should not disaffiliate from NUS UK
This referendum will be held according to the timetable below:
- Thursday 24th April 2025: Notification to members of the referendum
- Tuesday 13th May 2025 (9am): Referendum voting and campaigning opens
- Friday 16th May 2025 (3pm): Referendum voting and campaigning closes
- Wednesday 21st May 2025 (12pm): Referendum results published on the Union website
Voting for this Referendum will take place online via the Students' Union website.
The outcome will be decided by simple majority. If the majority of students vote Yes, the Union will notify NUS that we will not be renewing our affiliation with NUS UK.
You can find our full referendum rules, here.
Why vote YES to disaffiliating from NUS UK?
Please read this statement detailing the 'YES' campaign - YES Statement
(Written by Alex Wilson, Students' Union President 2024-2026 on behalf of the Executive Committee)
Why vote NO to disaffiliating from NUS UK?
Please read this statement detailing the 'NO' campaign - NO Statement
(Written by NUS UK)
Student Support for either campaign?
If you are a current University of Winchester Student and would like to help support either the 'YES' or 'NO' campaigns during this referendum, please email either:
YES (dissaffilate from NUS UK) - SU_Pres@winchester.ac.uk
NO (do not disaffilliate from NUS UK) - membership@NUS.org.uk
What will NOT change regardless of the referendum outcome?
Irrespective of the referendum outcome, the following will stay the same:
- The Union will still benefit from a separate membership with NUS Charity (which includes: Union development resources, trading support, election support services, Quality Students’ Union, Communities of practice, crisis support and more.)
- Students can access ‘Totum’ discount cards.
- Networking can occur between our Elected Officers and other officers across the UK.
- The Union can still access the trading element of NUS (NUSSL) and therefore can access the collective buying consortium (allowing us to purchase cheaper food and drink supplies for our shops and bars).
- The Union can still access schemes such as ‘Green Impact’ and ‘Best Bar None’.
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How do I vote in the referendum?
Voting takes place on this website from 9am on Tuesday 13th May to 3pm on Friday 16th May, 2025 - you must be LOGGED IN to our website in order for you to cast your vote. For full details of how to vote please see below:
- Please make sure you have confirmed your account on our website, www.winchesterstudents.co.uk. All students will have access to an account on our website linked to their 'unimail' email address. If you have not yet confirmed your account on our website, you will need to do so before voting. You must be logged in to our website, using your unimail account, in order to be eligible to vote in this referendum!
- If you have any issues in accessing your account or with voting please email us for assistance as soon as practicable.
- Please consider the question being asked by this referendum and read both campaign statements, which provide further details on why you should vote for either YES or NO.
- If you're ready to go, make sure you're logged in and either hit the vote button or visit www.winchesterstudents.co.uk/evoting_referendums (NB. This link will only take you to the ballot when the election is live & you are logged in, otherwise it will redirect to our homepage. voting is live at the timings above).
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Referendum - A public vote on a specific issue or proposal.
NUS - National Union of Students.
The Union - Winchester Students' Union.
Students' Union - An organization representing student interests.
Affiliate - To be or remain associated with an organisation.
Disaffiliate - To formally end an association with an organisation.
Vote - To choose in an election or referendum
If you have any further questions then please email us at suelection@winchester.ac.uk
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