Close all universities down for an appropriate amount of time amidst COVID-19
This petition gathered 123,903 signatures between 11 March 2020 and 11 September 2020, according to the Parliament petitions site. The Government responded on 24 March 2020.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Close all universities down for an appropriate amount of time amidst COVID-19
We would like the government to to consider closing universities down in the coming weeks or as soon as possible, in addition to taking necessary actions to prevent further spread
To prevent the spread of COVID-19
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 24 March 2020; the petitions site lists the Department for Education as responsible. Its summary:
The Government’s number one priority is the safety of students and staff. The DfE is working with universities to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, based on guidance from Public Health England.
The response in full:
The Government’s number one priority is the safety and wellbeing of students and staff. We will also do all we can to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the higher education (HE) sector.
On 18 March, the Prime Minister and Education Secretary announced changes to the operational models of schools and colleges in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. These changes show how much we need to ratchet up social distancing measures to deal with the outbreak.
The Government recognises the importance of supporting HE providers to remain open, as long as expert medical advice supports this. It is doing all it can to support the HE sector and its students, including encouraging them to make online teaching provision as widespread as possible for the summer term, in compliance with social distancing guidance.
Cessation of face-to-face teaching in favour of online provision is not closure. It is a move that enables compliance with social distancing guidance. We will continue to work with the sector to understand the developing range of options for distance teaching and learning and ensure that we support students where necessary.
Any decision to close universities would be based on careful consideration of multiple factors. In any eventuality, a significant number of students may be care leavers, students who are estranged from their families, and international students for whom alternative accommodation is not easily available or who are not able to get home because of travel restrictions. It is essential that these students are reassured that their provider will continue to support them through these difficult and unsettling times. Students who remain in campus accommodation will also need additional support, including access to counselling and mental health advice.
The Department for Education (DfE) stands ready to support providers in any discussion that is needed to ensure that they have access to the right resources to care for students. The Chancellor has also announced a series of wider measures to support employers and employees, recognising the significant impacts caused by COVID-19.
Department for Education.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 4,050, came from Manchester Central.
123,123 of the signatures were from the UK and 780 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Manchester Central | 4,050 |
| Coventry South | 2,973 |
| Holborn and St Pancras | 2,328 |
| Sheffield Central | 2,186 |
| Leeds Central | 2,081 |
| Cities of London and Westminster | 1,879 |
| Birmingham, Ladywood | 1,805 |
| Nottingham South | 1,784 |
| Bethnal Green and Bow | 1,702 |
| Bristol West | 1,519 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| London | 30,724 |
| South East | 14,709 |
| West Midlands | 11,447 |
| North West | 11,109 |
| East Midlands | 7,931 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 7,707 |
| South West | 7,324 |
| East of England | 6,945 |
| Scotland | 6,133 |
| Wales | 4,393 |
| North East | 4,279 |
| Northern Ireland | 1,101 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on .
The Petitions Committee's summary of the debate:
Because it has not been possible to debate this petition to date, and the issues raised by this petition have been considered by the Committee in other ways, the Committee has agreed not schedule this petition for debate.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/300628.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
e191df951ad3f2f3… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.