Societies locked out of funds by ‘stressful’ KCLSU delays

Societies locked out of funds by ‘stressful’ KCLSU delays Photo: Emma Carmichael/Roar Several King’s College London societies have reported having to rely on their own finances to fund society activities and welcome fair materials following delays from KCLSU’s finance team. According to KCLSU’s website, student groups “Core and Activity” risk assessments – which are required for societies to carry out their activities – were meant to be reviewed by 31 July so that leaders could begin activities from 1 August. However, several societies have told Roar that they have been unable to access their Soldo cards (pre-paid debit cards) or allocated budgets that are linked to their student groups’ account. KCL Balkan Society and KCL Politics Society both reported that they did not have access to their Soldo cards, making it difficult to make one-off or repeat online purchases. Multiple other societies, who wished to remain anonymous, also reported issues. KCLSU says it “supports student societies through payment services, financial guidance and individual assistance”, and take society leaders’ concerns “seriously and recognise the importance of reliable access to society funds and timely reimbursement.” ‘It’s been so stressful’ “We can’t access our Soldo card or budget and we desperately need it. It’s been so stressful”, the vice president of the Women in Politics Society told Roar. Others societies, such as the King’s Doctoral Student Association (KDSA) have complained of a lack of communication from KCLSU regarding members stepping down. “KCLSU did not inform [the society] that the Vice President was stepping down in March,” they said. Without a vice president, certain society funds may be restricted and grants can be more difficult to apply for. Societies report that the delays from KCLSU’s finance team have not just affected leaders’ personal finances but also causes larger delays in their planned activities. The president of King’s College London American Politics stated: “We’ve been wanting to start an American politics journal. We’ve been having to delay that because we just don’t have access to the funds, so we can’t buy a WordPress account. “I feel bad for our writers, because they’ve been submitting a lot of articles that want to get published”, he continued. “Societies can use Soldo cards and direct supplier payments to reduce the need for students to pay personally”, KCLSU told Roar, “Where students have incurred society expenses, reimbursement claims are submitted through the Expenses App, with the relevant approvals, supporting documentation and sufficient society funds.” Previous issues Student leaders of the 2025/2026 academic year – such as the president of the King’s Politics Society and the TEDx Society – also reported funding delays and receiving outdated information. “Our main issues came from slow approvals and out of date information. The Student Union spreadsheet was two months out of date in October last year, which meant we were making major financial decisions […] based on outdated financial information”, one society said. For some societies the issue is not limited to receiving funding but waiting days and sometimes weeks to receive payments from approved expense claims. KCLSU, who primarily reimburse student leaders through the “eXpense365” app, have been “slow with reimbursing money” according to the current president of the Politics Society. According to the student union, 314 expense claims totalling approximately £18,000 and more than £49,000 in supplier invoices have been processed since 1 August on behalf of societies. Separately, the treasurer of the American Politics Society told Roar that it’s “wrong to expect societies to fund events using their own money and reimburse themselves months later considering how expensive some events like galas and boat parties can be (thousands of £’s).” The concerns come as KCLSU’s latest annual financial summary report a £150k surplus in 2024/2025. A KCLSU spokesperson told Roar: “…We would welcome details of the cases raised, with the societies’ agreement, so we can review their existing correspondence and payment records. Finance and Student Groups colleagues will work together to establish the circumstances, address any outstanding issues and explain the next steps directly to the student leaders concerned… “We provide support through the Finance Handbook, individual guidance and the helpdesk, and will use the findings of these reviews to identify any improvements needed to our processes or communication.” About the author Isabella Steiner Isabella Steiner is a staff writer at Roar news and an English Literature student at King's College London. 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