The pie chart illustrates the average monthly expenditure of students in the UK in 2016, while the bar chart shows the various sources of income for students during the same year. This essay will summarize the key features of both charts and make comparisons where relevant.
Overall, the data reveals a clear trend where students’ expenditure was dominated by essential living costs, particularly rent and food, while the majority of their income came from parental support and student loan.
According to the pie chart, the largest portion of students’ monthly expenditure in 2016 was spent on rent, which accounted for the highest percentage of their budget. Food was also significant expenses, forming a considerable part of the total expenditure. On the other hand, categories such as travel, bills, socialising represented a smaller proportion of student spending. This suggests that while students spent heavily on living essentials, they allocated less to discretionary spending.
The bar chart shows that student loan was the most common source of income for students, contributing the largest share of their monthly income with 80%. Family support was the second most significant source, followed by part-time job, which provided additional financial support. Other sources of income, such as savings, were comparatively smaller. However, they still played an important role in supporting students’ finances.
A comparison of the two charts reveals a notable contrast between students’ income and expenditure. While the primary sources of income were parental support and student loan, these funds were often insufficient to cover the high costs of rent and food, which took up the largest portions of their budgets. Despite the significant contribution of part-time jobs, the overall income still did not fully meet students’ monthly expenditure needs. This may indicate that many students were dependent on family support or additional income from part-time jobs to make up the difference.