Everything on UK student loan repayments in 2026/27 — the thresholds and rates for Plans 1, 2, 4, 5 and Postgraduate loans, how repayments are calculated from your salary, and when you stop paying.
The easiest way to find your student loan plan is by logging into your Student Loans Company (SLC) account or checking your repayment details. Your plan depends on where you lived when you applied for student finance and when you started your course. The most common plans are Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5 and Postgraduate Loans, each with different repayment thresholds and rules.
10 Aug 2026
Plan 5 is the newer English undergraduate student loan plan for newer starters. Plan 2 is the older English undergraduate plan. In 2026/27, both repay at 9% above the threshold, but Plan 2 starts at £29,385 and Plan 5 starts at £25,000, so Plan 5 repayments usually begin sooner.
8 Aug 2026
Yes. A UK Postgraduate Loan can reduce your take-home pay because repayments are taken from salary through PAYE at 6% of earnings above £21,000 in 2026/27. It does not reduce your gross salary, tax band or National Insurance rate, but it does lower the amount you receive after deductions.
8 Aug 2026
A Plan 5 student loan is a UK student loan repayment plan used for some newer undergraduate borrowers in England. In 2026/27, you repay 9% of earnings above £25,000. Repayments usually come through PAYE, so the amount taken depends on your income, not the size of your loan balance.
8 Aug 2026
Not everyone will pay off their UK student loan in full. Whether you repay the entire balance depends on your repayment plan, salary, career earnings and how long you're required to make repayments. If you don't repay the full amount before your loan's write-off date, the remaining balance is usually cancelled, provided you meet the terms of your loan.
11 Jul 2026