School fees in the UK have risen by more than twice the rate of inflation in the past five years, new figures show.

Private school fees have increased 41 per cent since 2002, while inflation has run at just 18pc, according to Halifax Financial Services.

Fees have risen by six per cent in the past year alone - a third more than the increase in retail prices, at four per cent.

The average annual cost of private school day fees is now 9,627 pounds (BD7356), compared to 6,820 pounds in 2002.

Boarding fees are more than twice those for day pupils.

The annual cost of boarding fees is 20,970 pounds, up 36pc on the 15,364 pounds of 2002.

The above-inflation increases have made it more difficult for average earners in many occupations to send their offsprings to private schools.

Five years ago, the average worker in 23 occupations could afford to send his or her child as a day pupil to private school but that number is now down to 13.

Scientists, police officers, tax experts, engineers, journalists, clothes designers, teachers and lecturers, writers, trading standards officers and computer programmers can, on average, no longer afford the fees without help from other sources.

Day school fees now represent 25pc or more of gross average annual earnings for people in these occupations.

Overall, average private school fees now equate to 32pc of average annual gross earnings, compared to 27pc in 2002, the study said.