The charts provide information on the total number of students at a particular university in the UK from 1991 to 2001 and the percentage of students from three different family economic backgrounds (high-income, middle-income, and low-income families) in 1991.
Overall, the total number of students increased significantly. Students from middle-income families made up the largest proportion, followed by those from high-income families, while students from low-income families represented only a small minority.
In terms of the total number of university students in the UK, there were around 1,100,000 in the initial year, after which the figure rose steadily to approximately 2,100,000 by 1999 before declining to 2,000,000 in 2001.
As for the distribution of students by family economic background, those from middle-income families accounted for the highest percentage, with a whopping 62%, compared with 30% for high-income families. By comparison, students from low-income families constituted the smallest proportion, at just 8%.
