UK lawmakers warned that students could be harmed if financially stressed universities fail, as a report from the Education Select Committee says 24 institutions face insolvency risk within 12 months. The committee chair, Helen Hayes MP, urged an early-warning approach so regulators and the Office for Students can intervene before failures become irreversible. The report also links the sector’s vulnerabilities to policy constraints, including a fee freeze for undergraduates that has pressured finances and pushed institutions to lean more on postgraduate and international revenue. It notes international students make up about a quarter of enrollment but generate more than 45% of fee income. For higher education providers, the message is operational: contingency planning may include mergers, restructuring, or “orderly exit” scenarios that protect enrolled students, staff, and courses.