UK Student Loan Repayment Calculator (2026/27)
Estimate your monthly student loan repayment by plan type. Supports Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4 (Scotland), Plan 5 and Postgraduate (PGL): and combinations of them.
Total annual repayment
£505
£42.11 per month · £9.72 per week
Plans selected
1
Plan 2
Annual gross
£35,000
From your input × frequency
Plan-by-plan breakdown
| Plan | Threshold | Earnings above | Rate | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | £5,615 | 9% | £505.35 | £42.11 |
| Total | £505.35 | £42.11 |
Thresholds shown are the most recently confirmed values; HMRC publishes formal 2026/27 figures in early 2026. Repayments are deducted by your employer through PAYE in each pay period: actual deductions are calculated on each pay period's earnings, not annualised. Loan balance, accrued interest and write-off horizon are not modelled here. Verify against your HMRC personal tax account or Student Loans Company account.
How UK student loan repayments work
Student loan repayments are deducted directly from your salary by your employer through PAYE: they do not appear on your tax bill. The amount taken depends only on your gross earnings above the threshold for your plan, not on the size of your outstanding balance.
Repayment plans summary
- Plan 1: pre-September 2012 English/Welsh undergraduates, or any Northern Irish undergraduate. Threshold £26,900 for 2026/27, up from £26,065; repaid at 9% above the threshold. The Plan 1 threshold rises each April with RPI.
- Plan 2: English undergraduates who started between September 2012 and July 2023, and Welsh undergraduates who started from September 2012 onwards. Threshold £29,385 for 2026/27, up from £28,470; repaid at 9%. It is due to be held at £29,385 for three years from April 2027.
- Plan 4: Scottish students (loans from SAAS). Threshold £33,795, repaid at 9%. Thresholds rise with RPI.
- Plan 5: English undergraduates who started on or after 1 August 2023. Welsh students are not on Plan 5; they stay on Plan 2. Threshold £25,000, unchanged until April 2027 and then intended to rise with RPI. Repaid at 9%. Written off after 40 years rather than 30.
- Postgraduate (PGL): Master's and Doctoral loans. Threshold £21,000, unchanged since the plan began. Repaid at 6%. Runs alongside any undergraduate plan you also have.
Pay frequency matters
Your employer assesses repayments per pay period, not annually. If your monthly pay (× 12) takes you above the annual threshold, repayments start that month: even if your annual total ends up below the threshold (for example because of a one-off bonus). Plan to reconcile via Self Assessment or HMRC repayment claim if this happens.
Common payslip checks
- Your payslip should clearly label which plan you're repaying. If you see “SL” without the plan number, ask payroll to clarify.
- Repayments stop automatically when your loan is fully paid (the Student Loans Company tells HMRC), but there can be a 1-3 month lag: overpayments are refunded.
- Postgraduate and undergraduate are separate lines. Don't panic if you see two SL deductions: that's normal if you have both.
- If you've switched jobs and your new employer hasn't set up SL deductions, contact HMRC: gaps can cause a Self Assessment surprise.
FAQs
Which student loan plan am I on?
It depends on where and when you started university. Plan 1: pre-Sep 2012 English/Welsh undergrads or any NI undergrad. Plan 2: English undergrads who started Sep 2012 to Jul 2023, and Welsh undergrads from Sep 2012 onwards. Plan 4: Scottish students (administered by SAAS). Plan 5: English undergrads from Aug 2023 (Welsh students stay on Plan 2). Postgraduate (PGL): Master's and Doctoral loans. You can be on more than one plan at once.
What are the repayment thresholds for 2026/27?
These are the published 2026/27 thresholds. Plan 1: £26,900 (up from £26,065). Plan 2: £29,385 (up from £28,470). Plan 4: £33,795 (up from £32,745). Plan 5: £25,000, unchanged. Postgraduate: £21,000, unchanged since the plan began. Plan 1, Plan 2 and Plan 4 all rose in April 2026; the Plan 2 threshold is then due to be held at £29,385 for three years from April 2027, and Plan 5 stays at £25,000 until April 2027 before rising with RPI.
What is the repayment rate?
9% of earnings above the threshold for Plan 1, 2, 4 and 5. 6% of earnings above the threshold for Postgraduate loans. If you have both a Postgraduate loan and an undergraduate plan, both are deducted simultaneously.
Do student loans affect my tax code?
No. Student loan repayments are a separate deduction line on your payslip. They do not affect your personal allowance or income tax calculation. Your employer is told which plan(s) to deduct via your P45, Starter Checklist, or HMRC notice.
When does my loan get written off?
Plan 1: 25 years after April first due to repay (or age 65, depending on cohort). Plan 2: 30 years after due. Plan 4: 30 years. Plan 5: 40 years (the longest, introduced in 2023). Postgraduate: 30 years. Write-offs are not the same as having paid the loan: interest accrues throughout.
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PayslipIQ provides educational information and estimated calculations only. It does not provide tax, legal, financial, payroll, accounting, pension, benefits or employment advice. Always verify your payslip, tax code, deductions and take-home pay with your employer's payroll department, HMRC, your pension provider, a qualified accountant, tax adviser or another appropriately qualified professional.