Lord Neuberger has confirmed he will retire as president of the Supreme Court in September next year, in a speech that also set out efforts to boost diversity at the UK's highest court.

In a speech delivered last night at the Bar Council Law Reform Lecture, Lord Neuberger announced that he and fellow Supreme Court Justice Lord Clarke had informed the Lord Chancellor of their intention to step down at the end of next summer.

Neuberger is retiring earlier than expected so his successor can begin at the start of the legal year.

Following Lord Toulson's retirement from the court in July, there will be three vacancies to fill next year, and another three in 2018 once Lord Hughes, Lord Mance and Lord Sumption reach retirement age.

In his speech, Lord Neuberger discussed measures to improve diversity among the judiciary, encouraging those who come from an "under-represented groups" to consider applying for Supreme Court appointments.

He said: "The higher echelons of the judiciary in the UK suffer from a marked lack of diversity and here I must admit the Supreme Court does not score at all well. We have one white woman and 10 white men, and although two of the 11 were not privately educated, none of us come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"Lady Hale, the deputy president, and I are both keenly aware that the profession and wider society are looking to the Supreme Court to lead the way on diversity rather than simply waiting for a 'trickle-up' effect from natural developments and efforts made lower down the system."

He added that in 2013, Supreme Court chief executive Jenny Rowe had been tasked with producing a report on recruitment with the aim of encouraging applications from "people who might feel, strongly but wrongly, that they did not fit the profile of a Supreme Court Justice".

The report, which was completed in July 2015, has led to proposals including a half-day 'insight session' involving a tour of the court, an opportunity to sit in court, and a meeting with a Justice not on the appointment panel, as well as the potential for flexible working options.

Lord Neuberger was sworn in as president of the Supreme Court in 2012, becoming only the second head of the refashioned incarnation of the UK's top court. He replaced Lord Phillips, who became the first president of the court when the body was created in October 2009 in place of the House of Lords' appellate committee.

• Click here to read Lord Neuberger's speech in full