Council chiefs have hit out at the university admissions service, for refusing to share details on young people who fail to achieve grades needed to access higher education.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has claimed that tens-of-thousands of young people, could be affected by revised data disclosure practices orchestrated by the University and Colleges and Admissions Service (UCAS).

The LGA has claimed UCAS is now refusing to share student details directly with local authorities in the way it formerly had done would cost the sector £3.8m in extra information requests.