Students attending the country’s leading universities are also likely to be paying some of the highest student rent, according to figures released last week.

According to accommodationforstudents.com those attending Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College London, London School of Economics, Exeter and the University of Surrey, pay between £20 and £58 more in rent every week than the national average.

The figures show that student accommodation markets have, in general, remained stable, with a modest average rent increase of £1.43 in the past year, taking the average student rent to £82.09 per week.

Lancaster University was the only one in the top 10 (according to The Complete University Guide of 2016) where students paid less than the national average – £78 per week.

Regional disparities remain. Students in the north of England pay almost £15 less than those in the south, while those in and around London (or their parents) have to fork out £122.

Those studying in Wales pay the least – an average of £69, while Scottish students pay just £4 more.

London (£140), Cambridge (£124), Kingston (£115), Aberdeen (£109) and Guildford were revealed as the places with the most expensive average rental values.

Bolton, Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton students pay on average £62 per week, while Stockton and Walsall (£49 and £48 respectively) offer the cheapest student accommodation.

Luton, Bangor and Derby have seen this year’s biggest rises, up on average 20% on 2014’s prices.

Accommodation for Students director Simon Thompson said: “It’s great to see that the overall market has remained stable over the last year. This is positive for both investor landlords and students.

“Unsurprisingly, the north-south divide in rent values remains apparent, just as in the private rented sector.

“Naturally, rental increases in some areas will be governed by student demand, often determined by what courses are available, but it is interesting to see that there appears to be some correlation between the highest-ranked universities and cost of student accommodation.

“Bill inclusive rental options are increasingly prevalent, which shows landlords are reacting to student needs.

“Anything which helps students to manage their finances is appealing and I think this trend will continue to grow over the next few years as the cost of attending university creeps up.”