Richer pupils 3.8 times more likely to go to university than poorer peers

Richer pupils were 3.8 times more likely to enter university in 2016 compared to their more disadvantaged peers, according to a new report from UCAS.

The figures from UCAS show that, of the fifth of the young English population from backgrounds with the lowest entry rate to higher education, 13.6 per cent entered university in 2016, which represents an increase of 0.1 percentage point. The young people in this group typically have lower family incomes, live in areas where fewer people go to university, attend state schools, and are more likely to be men or in the white ethnic group.

Comparatively, of the fifth of young people from backgrounds with the highest entry rate, 52.1 per cent went to university in 2016, an increase of 1.2 percentage points. Young people in this group are more likely to come from higher income families, live in advantaged areas, attend independent schools, or be women or in the Asian or Chinese ethnic groups.

The report also found that the difference in entry rates between these two groups increased in 2016, breaking the trend of reductions in recent years.

However, young people from backgrounds with the lowest entry rates are still more likely than ever to enter higher education, and 74 per cent more likely than a decade ago.

Mary Curnock Cook, UCAS' chief executive, said: "When she entered Downing Street in July, the Prime Minister pointed out that white working-class boys are the least likely to go to university. Our report underlines this point, showing that nearly three quarters of the group least likely to enter university are men, most are from lower income families, and nine out of ten are in the White ethnic group.

"Although the number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education has reached record levels again this year, there are early signals that the good progress made in recent years may be slowing down.

"The best way to get on track to better progress is to focus efforts on improving GCSE outcomes for all children which we know is the primary driver of increased entry rates to higher education."