Will my student loan be written off?

It depends on your loan plan. Plan 2 loans are written off after 30 years. Plan 5 after 40 years. Plan 1 after 25 years. Plan 4 and Postgraduate loans after 30 years. Many borrowers on Plan 2 and Plan 5 will not fully repay before write-off.

Should I make voluntary overpayments on my student loan?

For most Plan 2 and Plan 5 borrowers whose loans are likely to be written off before full repayment, voluntary overpayments are usually not beneficial — you would be paying off an amount that would otherwise be written off. Overpaying only makes sense if you are certain you will repay in full before write-off.

What is the repayment threshold for Plan 2 student loans in 2025-26?

For Plan 2, you repay 9% of earnings above £28,470 per year. No repayments are made below this threshold. For Plan 5 the threshold is £25,000. For Plan 1 it is £26,065.

Student Loan Repayment Calculator

Project your UK student loan repayment timeline for Plan 1, 2, 4, 5 and Postgraduate loans. See how salary growth, interest, and the write-off period affect what you actually repay. Most borrowers don't repay in full — find out if you will.

Your Loan

Loan plan

Plan 1

England/Wales pre-Sept 2012, or Northern Ireland

Plan 2

England/Wales from Sept 2012 to July 2023

Plan 4

Scotland

Plan 5

England/Wales from Aug 2023 onwards

Postgraduate

Master's or Doctoral loan

Outstanding balance

Years until write-off

Your Income & Assumptions

Annual salary

Salary growth

%/yr

Interest rate

Repayment threshold£29,385

Repayment rate9% above threshold

Current monthly repayment£20

Monthly repayment

£20

£235/year at current salary

Years until write-off

Loan written off

Total you'll repay

£49,591

Including £224,083 interest

Amount written off

£219,492

Balance cancelled after write-off

Repayment Projection

Balance (blue) and annual repayment (green) over time

Year-by-Year Breakdown

Year	Salary	Interest	Repayment	Balance
1	£32,000	+£3,285	-£235	£48,050
2	£32,960	+£3,508	-£322	£51,236
3	£33,949	+£3,740	-£411	£54,565
4	£34,967	+£3,983	-£502	£58,046
5	£36,016	+£4,237	-£597	£61,686
6	£37,097	+£4,503	-£694	£65,495
7	£38,210	+£4,781	-£794	£69,482
8	£39,356	+£5,072	-£897	£73,657
9	£40,537	+£5,377	-£1,004	£78,030
10	£41,753	+£5,696	-£1,113	£82,614
11	£43,005	+£6,031	-£1,226	£87,419
12	£44,295	+£6,382	-£1,342	£92,458
13	£45,624	+£6,749	-£1,462	£97,746
14	£46,993	+£7,135	-£1,585	£103,297
15	£48,403	+£7,541	-£1,712	£109,126
16	£49,855	+£7,966	-£1,842	£115,250
17	£51,351	+£8,413	-£1,977	£121,686
18	£52,891	+£8,883	-£2,116	£128,454
19	£54,478	+£9,377	-£2,258	£135,572
20	£56,112	+£9,897	-£2,405	£143,064
21	£57,796	+£10,444	-£2,557	£150,950
22	£59,529	+£11,019	-£2,713	£159,257
23	£61,315	+£11,626	-£2,874	£168,009
24	£63,155	+£12,265	-£3,039	£177,234
25	£65,049	+£12,938	-£3,210	£186,962
26	£67,001	+£13,648	-£3,385	£197,225
27	£69,011	+£14,397	-£3,566	£208,056
28	£71,081	+£15,188	-£3,753	£219,492
Written off				-£219,492

Smart Tips

Your loan is likely to be written off with £219,492 remaining

At your current salary and growth trajectory, you'll repay £49,591 over 28 years before the remaining balance is written off. This is normal — most Plan 2 and Plan 5 borrowers don't fully repay.

GOV.UK: When your loan gets written off

Making voluntary repayments may not save you money

Since your loan is projected to be written off, any extra payments just reduce the amount written off — not the amount you actually pay. Those funds might be better invested elsewhere.

GOV.UK: Repaying early

Your loan balance is currently growing

At your current salary, interest (£3,285/year) exceeds repayments (£235/year). This is common in early career — as your salary grows, repayments will increase and eventually outpace interest.

GOV.UK: Student loan interest

Student loan interest rates change periodically

The interest rate used (7.3%) is an approximation. Actual rates are updated each September based on RPI inflation and (for some plans) the Bank of England base rate. Check the Student Loans Company for your current rate.

GOV.UK: Student loan interest

Frequently asked questions

Will my student loan be written off?: It depends on your loan plan. Plan 2 loans are written off after 30 years. Plan 5 after 40 years. Plan 1 after 25 years. Plan 4 and Postgraduate loans after 30 years. Many borrowers on Plan 2 and Plan 5 will not fully repay before write-off.
Should I make voluntary overpayments on my student loan?: For most Plan 2 and Plan 5 borrowers whose loans are likely to be written off before full repayment, voluntary overpayments are usually not beneficial — you would be paying off an amount that would otherwise be written off. Overpaying only makes sense if you are certain you will repay in full before write-off.
What is the repayment threshold for Plan 2 student loans in 2025-26?: For Plan 2, you repay 9% of earnings above £28,470 per year. No repayments are made below this threshold. For Plan 5 the threshold is £25,000. For Plan 1 it is £26,065.