By country of study and the academic year you started. Five plans operate in 2025/26 with their own thresholds, all collected from gross pay through PAYE once earnings cross the threshold for that plan. The Student Loans Company confirms the plan if you sign in to your account.
Student loan plans 2025/26 at a glance
| Plan | Who's on it | 2025/26 threshold | Rate | Write-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | Pre-2012 entrants in England and Wales; all of Northern Ireland | £26,900/yr | 9% | 65 (pre-2006 loans) or 25 years after April of eligibility (2006–2012) |
| Plan 2 | 2012–2023 entrants in England and Wales | £29,385/yr | 9% | 30 years after April of eligibility |
| Plan 4 | Scottish loans (Student Awards Agency Scotland) | £33,795/yr | 9% | 30 years after April of eligibility |
| Plan 5 | 2023+ entrants in England | £25,000/yr | 9% | 40 years after April of eligibility |
| Postgraduate | UK postgraduate loans | £21,000/yr | 6% | 30 years after April of eligibility |
How does it show on my payslip?
As a separate deduction line: 9% (or 6% for Postgraduate) of gross pay above the plan threshold for that pay period. The understanding your payslip article shows where the line lands and how it stacks with the other deductions.
Do Postgraduate Loans replace the undergraduate plan?
No. They repay alongside. With both a Plan 2 and a Postgraduate Loan, both deductions appear on every payslip: 9% above £29,385 for Plan 2 and 6% above £21,000 for the Postgraduate. The Student Loans Company account shows both balances.
In 7 steps
How to Identify Your UK Student Loan Plan and Calculate Repayments
Five UK student-loan plans exist, each with its own threshold and rate. Match the plan to your start year and country, then apply the rate to gross earnings above the threshold.
- 1
Find when and where you started study
Plans are determined by your country of study and the academic year you started. The Student Loans Company can confirm your plan if you sign in to your account.
- 2
Plan 1 — pre-2012 entrants in England and Wales, all of Northern Ireland
Threshold for 2025/26: £26,900 a year. Repayment rate: 9% of earnings above the threshold. Loans before 2006 are written off at 65; 2006–2012 loans 25 years after eligibility.
- 3
Plan 2 — 2012 to 2023 entrants in England and Wales
Threshold: £29,385. Rate: 9%. Written off 30 years after the April you became eligible to repay. Most graduates currently working are on Plan 2.
- 4
Plan 4 — Scottish loans (SAAS)
Threshold: £33,795. Rate: 9%. Applies to anyone whose loan was issued by the Student Awards Agency Scotland. Written off 30 years after eligibility.
- 5
Plan 5 — 2023 onward entrants in England
Threshold: £25,000. Rate: 9%. Applies to most students starting university from August 2023 onward in England. Lower threshold and a longer 40-year repayment window than Plan 2.
- 6
Postgraduate Loan
Threshold: £21,000. Rate: 6% above the threshold (not 9%). Postgraduate repayments stack on top of an undergraduate plan rather than replacing it.
- 7
Calculate the deduction on each payslip
Apply the rate to your gross pay above the plan’s pay-period threshold. The deduction shows as a separate line on your payslip. The payslipmaker.uk Payslip Generator runs the calculation once you select the plan.
Primary sources
- Repaying your student loan: what you pay — gov.uk — 2025/26 repayment thresholds for Plans 1, 2, 4, 5, and Postgraduate
- Student Loans Company — Plan identification and account access
- Repaying your student loan: when you start repaying — gov.uk — When repayment begins and write-off rules per plan
Editorial process: how we source and review UK tax content.