The introduction of top up fees in 2006 has seen increases in the proportion from the poorest homes stall, says Universities UK.
Despite a multi-million pound drive by the government to counter the effect of higher fees, the research reports "no significant change in the ethnic, social class or age profile of accepted applicants across the four years 2004/5-2007/8" highlighting concerns that the new system has become a barrier to higher education.

The report is part of a drive by Universities UK to inform a review of the top-up fee system due next year. The review will consider whether to raise the £3,000 cap on fees.
Sally Hunt, the general secretary of the University and College Union, said: "Whilst it is encouraging that student numbers have not decreased in our universities, it is extremely worrying that there has been no change in the number of students from the very backgrounds the government is spending considerable sums of money on persuading to apply."

The minister for higher education, Bill Rammell, said: "With applications to university up significantly and the proportions from lower socio-economic groups increasing, I am confident the new system is working. In major part this is because we have a better, fairer and more progressive system of student financial support with no one paying tuition fees before university and because we have brought back and greatly expanded access to non-repayable student grants."