The gap between the numbers of rich and poor students applying to university has narrowed, with disadvantaged teenagers more likely to want to go than ever before.

New figures show that the application rates of 18-year-olds living in poor areas in all countries of the UK have increased to the highest levels ever recorded.

But while the gap between affluent would-be students and their less well-off peers is closing, the wealthiest are still more than twice as likely to apply.

And there are also further signs that the gulf between men and women planning to study for a degree is widening.

In total, almost 100,000 more women have applied to go to university this year than men.

The new statistics, published by admissions service Ucas, show the numbers of people from the UK and abroad who had submitted applications by the January 15 deadline.

Overall, there was a 2% increase in applications compared to the same point last year, with 592,290 people applying.

Among UK applicants there was a 1% rise, according to Ucas, while in England alone, the numbers applying was also up 1%.

Ucas chief Mary Curnock Cook said that demand for university places is continuing to increase, but noted that the growth has slowed this year.

"Demand for UK higher education, notably from younger people and from EU countries, has continued to rise in 2015. It is heartening to see the gap between rich and poor continue to narrow.

"Nevertheless, demand has grown more slowly this year and has fallen for mature students. This perhaps reflects improved employment prospects in the UK," she said.

A breakdown of the figures show that 21% of disadvantaged 18-year-olds in England applied this year, with this group 3% more likely to submit an application than in 2014.

"Differences in application rates between advantaged and disadvantaged areas have reduced over the past decade, reduced further in 2015 and were at the lowest level recorded," Ucas said.

Overall, the richest 18-year-olds in the UK are now 2.4 times more likely to want to go to university than the poorest, compared to 2006, when they were 3.7 times more likely to submit an application.

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of social mobility charity the Sutton Trust, said: "The continuing growth in disadvantaged applicants is welcome, and will narrow the access gap. Nevertheless, there is still a significant gap, particularly to the most selective universities, and a worrying dip this year in mature applicants."

Speaking on a visit to Kingston University later, Business Secretary Vince Cable is expected to say that the figures show that the Government is making significant progress in breaking down barriers to higher education and that the controversial move to treble tuition fees to a maximum of £9,000 has not deterred poorer students from applying.

" There were many who said that the reform of student finance would discourage young people from going to university. The opposite has occurred; numbers have grown, in particular those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our reforms now also mean universities are well funded for the future. At the same time we have expanded vocational training, particularly apprenticeships which have reached two million. This is a record to be celebrated."

Ucas's figures show that the difference in application rates between men and women is at its highest ever level.

In England alone, young women are now 36% more likely to apply than young men.

And overall, across all applicants, around 92,400 more women have submitted applications than men.

Ms Curnock Cook has previously warned that there is a ''disquieting'' gap between men and women going to university, which has been growing since the 1990s and is continuing to worsen.

Megan Dunn, vice president for higher education at the National Union of Students (NUS), said: "It is encouraging to see that young people still recognise the value of higher education, but these figures only paint part of the picture.

"It's not surprising that students continue to apply for university when there are few alternative options available to them, like entry level jobs or well-paid apprenticeships."