Under-fire Middlesex University slammed over lack of financial support for students

The figures, from the Office of Fair Access (OFFA), show that only Writtle College (5.0%) and the University of Greenwich (7.9%) spent a lower percentage of their tuition fee income on bursaries for the poorest students than Middlesex (9.0%) in 2009/10 - the average was 25%.

The news is another blow for Middlesex University as staff prepare to strike on Tuesday (4 October) in a row over job losses and as the beleaguered institution is facing criticism for hiking its fees up to some of the most expensive in the country next year (£8,602, after financial support is taken into account).

The university has unveiled plans to make 300 staff redundant, half of which will be teaching posts. More on Tuesday's strike action can be found here.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'It is embarrassing that a university seeking to charge record tuition fees is apparently doing so little to support poorer students, particularly at a time when it is engaged in an increasingly bitter dispute over plans to axe jobs.

'Middlesex University needs to think hard about its priorities and get back round the negotiating table with the unions.'