Student loan repayment thresholds for 2026/27
You only repay a student loan once your income is above your plan's threshold. You then repay a fixed share of what you earn above it. Here's what applies from 6 April 2026.
Thresholds and rates
| Plan | Yearly threshold | About per month | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | £2,241 | 9% |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | £2,448 | 9% |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | £2,816 | 9% |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | £2,083 | 9% |
| Postgraduate Loan | £21,000 | £1,750 | 6% |
Plan 5 repayments start for the first time in April 2026. The government has announced that the Plan 2 threshold will then stay at £29,385 until April 2030.
Which plan are you on?
- Plan 1: you started an undergraduate course in England or Wales before 1 September 2012, or you studied in Northern Ireland.
- Plan 2: you started an undergraduate course in England or Wales between 1 September 2012 and 31 July 2023.
- Plan 4: you took out your loan through Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
- Plan 5: you started an undergraduate course in England on or after 1 August 2023.
- Postgraduate Loan: a master's or doctoral loan from England or Wales. You repay it at the same time as any undergraduate plan.
If you're not sure, sign in to your Student Loans Company account, or look at your payslip, which may show the plan.
How much you'll repay
Repayments on a £35,000 salary in 2026/27:
| Plan | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £729.00 | £60.75 |
| Plan 2 | £505.35 | £42.11 |
| Plan 4 | £108.45 | £9.04 |
| Plan 5 | £900.00 | £75.00 |
| Postgraduate Loan | £840.00 | £70.00 |
The amount depends on your income, not on how much you owe. Two people earning the same pay the same each month, whatever their balances.
Things that change your repayments
- Bonuses and overtime: repayments are worked out each pay period. A month with a large bonus takes a bigger repayment, even if your yearly income is under the threshold. You can ask for a refund if you end up overpaying for the year.
- Salary sacrifice lowers the pay that repayments are based on, so it reduces them too.
- Self-employed? Repayments are worked out on your Self Assessment tax return, alongside your tax.
- Unearned income over £2,000, such as savings interest or rent, can be added to your income on a Self Assessment return.
When the loan is written off
Any balance left after a set time is cancelled. You don't have to repay it, and it doesn't count as income. As a general guide, Plan 1 loans are written off 25 years after you were first due to repay, Plan 2 and Plan 4 loans after 30 years, and Plan 5 loans after 40 years. Postgraduate Loans are written off after 30 years. Some older loans have different rules.
See your repayments alongside tax and NI.
Open the calculator