Students who are disabled, or from a disadvantaged background, or an ethnic minority group, continue to achieve lower degree outcomes than their non-disabled, white, advantaged peers, according to a newly-published report.

The study from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) found also that there was an annual increase of around one-and-a-half percentage points between 2010/11 and 2013/14 in the proportion of students attaining first and upper second class degrees.

Factors for this may include changes in learning and teaching practices or students' own study behaviour following the introduction of higher fees, it said.

Some 74% of female graduates obtained a first or upper second class degree in 2013/14 compared with 70% of male graduates.

A total of 73% of graduates with no specified disability gained a first or upper second compared with 69% of those with a disability.

The proportion of white graduates getting a first or upper second in 2013/14 was 76%, compared with 60% of black and minority ethnic graduates.

Some 66% of graduates from neighbourhoods with the lowest participation in higher education gained a first or upper second - 11% lower than the highest-participation neighbourhoods.

Madeleine Atkins, chief executive of HEFCE, said: "Once again, robust analysis shows persistent unexplained differences in degree outcomes for particular groups of students.

"Students who are disabled, or from a disadvantaged background, or from an ethnic minority group, continue to achieve lower degree outcomes than their non-disabled, white, advantaged peers.

"If we are to maximise success for all students and fully meet the Government's ambitions as set out in its productivity plan - which recognises that 'productivity growth has gone hand in hand with rising human capital' - we must ensure that all students regardless of background or characteristics fulfil their potential and achieve the degree outcomes they deserve."