Students at the University of York's West Campus.Students at the University of York's West Campus.

The cap on tuition fees will rise to £9,535 a year from 2025, education secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced.

It is the first time the charges have gone up in eight years and comes amid warnings the university sector is facing a funding crisis.

The move will be welcomed by higher education bosses, but is likely to spark anger among students and their families.

Speaking ahead of Phillipson’s statement, Keir Starmer’s spokesman said: “Universities have suffered a significant real terms decline in their income and the gap between disadvantaged students and their peers is the highest on record.”

He added: “The government is determined to take the tough decisions necessary to put universities on a secure footing so that in turn they can deliver more opportunities for students and growth for our economy.”

Green Party MP Ellie Chowns said: “Tuition fees have forced universities to prioritise profit over education and put many at risk of bankruptcy, while students face extortionate interest rates - except for those wealthy enough not to need a loan.

“They have been a disaster and should be scrapped, not increased.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on TwitterFacebook and Instagram.