What Student Loan Plan Am I On? (Check, Repay, and Write-Off Rules)
Your plan number depends on when and where you studied. It can be 1, 2, 4, 5, or postgraduate. Your plan changes everything. It sets the salary level where repayments start. It sets the percentage taken. It also sets the date the debt is wiped. Two minutes on the government repayment site tells you which plan you are on.
At a glance
- Cost:
- Free to check; repayments only above your plan threshold
- Total time:
- 15 minutes to check
- Steps:
- 6 steps
- Where to apply:
- gov.uk
Last reviewed November 2026 against official sources. Re-checked annually · next review due November 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official UK sources(November 2026).
0 of 6 steps
- Go 5 min
Log in to the official repayment site
Sign in at gov.uk/student-loan-repayment with your Government Gateway details. The account screen shows your plan type or types and your balance. It is free. Ignore ads for paid services that say "check your student loan balance." The government tool is the only source you need.
Click to mark as done
- Before You Go 10 min
Identify your plan by when and where you studied
Plan 1 is for English or Welsh students who started before 1 September 2012; all pre-1998 mortgages-style loans are separate again. Plan 2 is for English or Welsh students who started 1 Sept 2012 – 31 July 2023. Plan 4 is for Scottish students, at any time from 1998. Plan 5 is for English students who started on or after 1 August 2023. Postgraduate is for English and Welsh master's or doctoral loans. You can hold more than one plan at once. For example, if you studied in Scotland or NI, or if you combined study across different periods.
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- Fill / Prepare 10 min
Check your plan's threshold and rate
Here are the 2026/27 thresholds (from 6 April 2026): Plan 1 £26,900, Plan 2 £29,385, Plan 4 £33,795, Plan 5 £25,000, postgraduate £21,000. Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5 take 9% of income above the threshold; postgraduate takes 6%. Here is an example. On Plan 2 earning £32,000: (£32,000 − £29,385) × 9% ≈ £20 a month. Interest for 2026/27 is as follows. Plans 1, 4 and 5 pay 4.1% interest. Postgraduate pays 6% too. Plan 2 pays RPI to RPI+3% based on your income, capped at 6%. Thresholds usually rise each April with inflation or policy. Check again each year. For 2027/28, two figures are already confirmed: Plan 1 rises to £28,005 from 6 April 2027, and Plan 2 stays frozen at £29,385. The 2027/28 figures for Plans 4, 5 and postgraduate have not been published yet, so do not rely on a number you saw elsewhere.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 20 min
Fix wrong deductions through your employer
Payroll may take money when you earn under the threshold. Or they may use the wrong plan. If this happens, tell your employer in writing. Say which plan or plans you hold. Ask them to fix it. If they cannot sort it, contact the Student Loans Company. Send your payslips. You can get a refund for extra deductions. But you only get one if you notice and claim.
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- Follow Up 10 min
Know when your balance is written off
Plan 1 is wiped 25 years after you were first due to repay. This is for loans from 2006 onward. Pre-2006 Plan 1 loans run to age 65 before they end. Plan 2 is wiped 30 years after the first April you were due to repay. Plan 4 is 30 years. Plan 5 is 40 years. Postgraduate is 30 years. Whatever is left is cancelled automatically. This includes unpaid interest. You get a letter. You owe nothing. It never affects your credit score.
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- Follow Up 15 min
Decide whether to overpay or let it run
For most middle earners, a UK student loan works like a graduate tax. It does not work like a normal debt. Many people will never clear the balance before it is written off. So extra payments you choose to make are wasted money. Overpaying only makes sense if you earn a lot. It also has to be likely that you will repay in full before write-off. This is the Martin Lewis rule. It is better to use spare money to clear real debt or to save.
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Be Careful
Don't make these mistakes
Guessing your plan instead of checking. Your plan depends on when and where you studied, and it sets the salary level where repayments start, the percentage taken, and the date the debt is wiped. Check the official repayment site, which is free. You can hold more than one plan at once, for example after studying in Scotland or across different periods.
Using the wrong threshold or rate. For 2026/27, repayment starts above £26,900 for Plan 1, £29,385 for Plan 2, £33,795 for Plan 4, £25,000 for Plan 5, and £21,000 for postgraduate. Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5 take 9% of income above the threshold, and postgraduate takes 6%. Thresholds usually rise each April, so check again each year.
Ignoring wrong payroll deductions. Payroll may take money when you earn under the threshold, or use the wrong plan. Tell your employer in writing which plan or plans you hold and ask them to fix it. If they cannot sort it, contact the Student Loans Company with your payslips. You only get a refund for extra deductions if you notice and claim.
Overpaying a loan that will be written off. For most middle earners, a student loan works like a graduate tax, not a normal debt, and many people will never clear the balance before it is written off. Plan 1 is wiped after 25 years, Plans 2 and 4 and postgraduate after 30 years, and Plan 5 after 40 years. Overpaying only makes sense if you earn a lot and are likely to repay in full before write-off.
Assuming the loan damages your credit score. Student loans do not appear on credit files, so they have no effect on your credit score. Mortgage lenders do see the deduction on your payslips and count it when they check what you can afford, so it is a cash-flow point, not a credit point.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you have to earn to pay back a student loan?
It depends only on your plan. For 2026/27: repayment starts above £26,900 (Plan 1). It starts above £29,385 (Plan 2), £33,795 (Plan 4), £25,000 (Plan 5) or £21,000 (postgraduate). Deductions are 9% of income above the threshold. For postgraduate, they are 6% and HMRCHM Revenue & Customs — The UK tax authority. It collects income tax, issues National Insurance numbers, and runs Self Assessment.Click for official info ↗ takes them automatically through PAYE, like tax.
When does my student loan get written off?
It is between 25 and 40 years after repayments were first due. The time depends on your plan. It is 25 years for Plan 1 (2006+ loans). It is 30 years for Plans 2, 4 and postgraduate. It is 40 years for Plan 5. Pre-2006 Plan 1 loans cancel at 65. Anything left is wiped automatically. It never touches your credit file.
Can I be on two student loan plans at once?
Yes. For example, you may have a Plan 2 undergraduate loan plus a postgraduate master's loan. Or you may have Plan 1 plus Plan 4 after studying in Scotland. If you hold more than one undergraduate plan, you get a single 9% deduction. It applies to income above the LOWEST threshold. It is split between the loans under a cap. You do not get separate deductions for each plan. A postgraduate loan stacks separately at 6% above £21,000. Employers get this wrong often. So check your payslips against the threshold for each plan.
Does my student loan affect my credit score or mortgage application?
No. It has no effect on your credit score. Student loans do not appear on credit files. Mortgage lenders do see the deduction on your payslips. They count it when they check what you can afford. This can slightly reduce what you can borrow. It is a cash-flow point, not a credit point.
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