The largest provider of purpose built student accommodation in the UK, Unite, has issued a trading statement giving the latest state of play on occupancy rates.

It says 60 per cent of its 73,000 student rooms are now booked for academic year 2022/23 and that 70 per cent of those “checked in” so far this year – 2021/22 – are occupied.

The statement says: “Latest guidance from the Department for Education confirms that education settings will remain open for face-to-face teaching under the Government’s Plan B measures to combat Covid-19. 

“In our properties, over 70 per cent of checked-in students have already returned to their accommodation, which is in line with a typical year. We expect the remaining students to arrive shortly, following the start of the spring term.

“All of our properties remain open and operational and we continue to employ a range of measures in our buildings to reduce transmission of Covid-19 where possible. 

“This includes enhanced cleaning and physical and social distancing measures, as well as offering support to those students needing to self-isolate.”

The provider predicts a return to full occupancy and rental growth of between 3.0 and 3.5 per cent for the 2022/23 academic year.