The University of Sussex is still struggling to admit youngsters from working class backgrounds, according to tables published today.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) said the university was failing to hit its "benchmark" target of 23 per cent.

It said only 16 per cent of students were from the lowest social classes.

But the university says the figures used in the tables were two years old and insisted the number has improved significantly in the last year.

Admissions tutors also have a better record for the admission of students from state schools.

They made up 85 per cent of the intake compared with a benchmark of 82 per cent.

Brighton University also missed its 28 per cent target for admitting working class youngsters, with 23 per cent coming from the three lowest social classes.

Some 92 per cent were from state schools - the target is 90 per cent.

All universities are set benchmarks by the HEFCE which show the number of children it thinks they should be admitting from the working classes, state schools and neighbourhoods where higher education has not traditionally been seen as an option.

The HEFCE insists these are not the same as quotas, which were rejected by Education Secretary Charles Clarke.

Instead, the Government will set up a new watchdog, the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) under the same legislation that, if passed, will allow universities to charge top-up fees of up to £3,000 a year from 2006.

They will have to sign "access agreements" and promise to do more to spot working class talent in return for the power to increase their charges.

The University of Sussex's drop-out rate was 12 per cent, better than its benchmark of 13 per cent. Brighton University's rate was 15 per cent, better than the 18 per cent target.

A spokesperson said: "The University of Sussex is working hard to encourage students from all backgrounds.

"Already, 85 per cent of our students come from state schools, which is well above our target of 77 per cent.

"The figures on students from poorer backgrounds published today are over two years old. Last year we estimate we improved our intake significantly to 18 per cent, just short of our benchmark 20 per cent.

"In 2003, we have had more than 1,000 students from disadvantaged backgrounds participating in events here to see what studying at university is really like."

No one from the University of Brighton was available for comment.