SADDLING students with even more debt is untenable, the University and College Union (UCU) warned today, after institutions called for higher fees and more public funding.

Universities UK (UUK) said government grants and fees have not kept pace with rising costs, causing budget deficits, and that students and the public should pay more to fund a financial “black hole” in England.

Tuition fees for home students in England have been capped at £9,250 since 2017 and the body representing 141 institutions has put forward proposals for increased fees, which it says are “focused on opportunity, growth and partnership.”