ROCKETING tuition fees have forced Southend Council to stop paying university costs for youngsters leaving foster care.

The council plans to stop paying the annual fees for teenagers who have been brought up by foster carers.

The Government’s decision to lift the cap on tuition fees last autumn means some universities will be charging students up to £9,000 a year.

Council chiefs say the added expenditure cannot be justified when they are trying to save £27million over the next three years.

Mark Flewitt, Tory councillor responsible for children and learning, said: “Budget pressures are tight and that means spending such as this has to be reviewed.

“We have to consider the best way to spend money effectively.”

At the moment, teenagers leaving care receive enough money from the council to cover their university tuition fees, plus their accommodation costs, and £2,000 a year for living expenses.

Under new plans approved by the council’s Tory leadership, payment of tuition fees will stop for new students from next year.

They will be expected to apply for a Government loan to cover the costs.

However, all students will continue to receive cash to pay for their accommodation and living costs, and those who have already started a university course will be given £3,000 a year to cover tuition fees until they finish.

The council estimates the changes will save it £155,000 a year by 2014, but some foster carers say the move risks alienating youngsters.

Rob Lilley, 42, of King’s Road, Westcliff, has been looking after children in care for five years. He said: “I can understand why they’ve got to make cuts and that’s fair enough.

“I just worry about the message it sends out to these kids.

“Telling them they’ve got to saddle themselves with thousands of pounds of debt to do that is not going to be an encouragement.”