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2025/26 RatesPlans 1, 2, 4 & 5Free Tool

Student Loan
Repayment
Simulator

Enter your balance, salary, and plan type to see your monthly repayment, total amount repaid, and exactly when your loan gets paid off — or written off.

Your Loan

2025/26 repayment rates

£
£0£120k
£
£0£120k
3%
0 yrs
Just graduated29 yrs

Loan Written Off

Year 30

£274,570 written off after 30 years

Monthly Now

£5

current repayment

Total Repaid

£46,194

over lifetime

Interest Paid

£275,763

approximate

Written Off

£274,570

remaining balance

Balance & Repayments Over Time

BalanceTotal repaid

Year-by-Year Breakdown

YearSalaryMonthly RepaymentAnnual InterestBalance
Now£28,000£45,000
Yr 1£28,000£5£3,285£48,222
Yr 2£28,840£12£3,520£51,603
Yr 3£29,705£18£3,767£55,153
Yr 4£30,596£25£4,026£58,882
Yr 5£31,514£32£4,298£62,800
Yr 6£32,460£39£4,584£66,920
Yr 7£33,433£46£4,885£71,253
Yr 8£34,436£54£5,201£75,811
Yr 9£35,470£61£5,534£80,610
Yr 10£36,534£69£5,885£85,663
Yr 11£37,630£78£6,253£90,986
Yr 12£38,759£86£6,642£96,597
Yr 13£39,921£95£7,052£102,512
Yr 14£41,119£104£7,483£108,751
Yr 15£42,353£113£7,939£115,335
Yr 16£43,623£123£8,419£122,285
Yr 17£44,932£132£8,927£129,624
Yr 18£46,280£142£9,463£137,378
Yr 19£47,668£153£10,029£145,573
Showing first 20 years — chart shows full trajectory

How this works. You repay 9% of earnings above your plan threshold — not 9% of your total salary. Interest accrues on your balance year-round. If your loan isn't paid off by the write-off date, the remaining balance is cancelled — you don't pay it.

True as of April 2026. Repayment thresholds, interest rates, and write-off rules are subject to change by the government at any time. This tool is for illustration only — not financial advice. If unsure about your plan type or repayment terms, do your own independent research at gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan.

The write-off reality

True as of April 2026 · subject to change

Northern Ireland — Plan 1 applies after 2012

Students from Northern Ireland who started university after 2012 are on Plan 1 — not Plan 2 like the rest of the UK. This is because Northern Ireland did not adopt the 2012 tuition fee reforms. Plan 1 has a lower repayment threshold (£24,990) and a shorter write-off period (25 years), but also charges lower interest (roughly RPI only, compared to RPI+3% on Plan 2/5).

Most Plan 2 graduates won't repay in full

The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that around 75% of Plan 2 borrowers will not pay off their student loan in full before the 30-year write-off. For many graduates, the question isn't 'when will I pay this off?' but 'how much will get written off?'

You only repay 9% above the threshold

Your repayment is 9% of earnings above the threshold — not 9% of your total salary. If you earn £32,295 on Plan 2, you repay 9% of £5,000 (£32,295 − £27,295) = £450/year, or £37.50/month. Below the threshold, you pay nothing.

Interest adds up — but write-off cancels it

Plan 2 and Plan 5 accrue interest at RPI + 3%, which means your balance can grow significantly. However, if you're likely to have the loan written off anyway, the interest doesn't change your out-of-pocket cost. Making extra repayments only makes sense if you're on track to pay it off before write-off.

The written-off amount is not taxable

When your student loan is written off, HMRC does not treat the cancelled amount as income. You won't receive a tax bill for the amount forgiven. It simply disappears. This is the current position as of April 2026 and could change.