Report 05 · Every August
Student Loan Outlook
£47,730is the average balance for graduates starting repayment. What you pay depends on what you earn, not on what you owe.
Student Loans Company, financial year 2025-26 (provisional) · 2026/27 thresholds
Plan 5: monthly repayment by salary
9% of earnings over £25,000, 2026/27
£25k
£0
£30k
£38
£35k
£75
£40k
£112
£50k
£188
TL;DRYou repay a slice of what you earn above the threshold, not of what you owe. Earn less, pay less.
Key findings
£29,385Plan 2 repayment threshold for 2026/27.GOV.UK
£25,000Plan 5 repayment threshold for 2026/27.GOV.UK
51.1%of borrowers liable to repay made a repayment in 2025-26. The rest earned under the threshold or weren’t in work.SLC
TL;DRThe balance matters less than it looks: payments follow your income, and whatever’s left is written off at the end.
Your 5-minute move
Know your plan
Log in to your Student Loans Company account and check your plan type. It decides when you start repaying.
Receipts · checked 9 November 2026