Student Loan Repayment Calculator
Estimate UK student loan deductions for Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5 and Postgraduate Loans. Choose annual, monthly or weekly pay so the result matches either a Self Assessment-style annual estimate or a PAYE payslip period.
Calculate student loan repayments
Use gross pay before tax. If salary sacrifice reduces the pay used by payroll, enter the reduced amount.
Advanced payslip settings
Only affects the annual/self-assessment amount still to pay.
GOV.UK payslip examples round down to whole pounds.
Undergraduate rate
9%
Applied above the lowest selected undergraduate plan threshold.
Postgraduate rate
6%
Separate deduction above the Postgraduate Loan threshold.
Plan 5
2026/27
Plan 5 appears in the 2026/27 employer thresholds.
What this calculator is built for
Student loan repayments are often misunderstood because the outstanding balance is emotionally loud but mostly irrelevant to the payslip deduction. GOV.UK is clear: the repayment is based on income above your plan threshold, not on the balance itself. That is why two graduates with completely different balances can see the same deduction if they are on the same plan and earn the same pay.
This calculator focuses on the deduction you are likely to see from pay, or the annual repayment HMRC may calculate through Self Assessment. It is not trying to predict your lifetime cost, future interest, write-off date or whether overpaying is wise. Those questions depend on future earnings, future interest rates, career breaks, inflation and how close you are to clearing the loan.
Best use cases
- Checking whether a payslip student loan deduction is roughly right.
- Estimating the student loan line before using the Take-Home Pay Calculator.
- Seeing the extra effect of adding a Postgraduate Loan to an undergraduate plan.
- Comparing annual income with monthly or weekly PAYE-period calculations.
How this student loan calculator works
Inputs used
- Gross pay amount and whether that amount is annual, monthly or weekly.
- Tax year: 2025/26 or 2026/27.
- Selected undergraduate plan or plans, plus optional Postgraduate Loan.
- Optional repayments already made in the year for annual Self Assessment-style checks.
Calculation method
- Select the relevant thresholds for the chosen tax year and pay frequency.
- For Plan 1, 2, 4 and 5, apply one 9% undergraduate deduction above the lowest selected undergraduate threshold.
- If Postgraduate Loan is selected, calculate a separate 6% deduction above the Postgraduate Loan threshold.
- Round down to whole pounds per period when payroll-style rounding is selected, matching GOV.UK examples.
Assumptions
- The pay entered is gross pay before tax and most deductions. If salary sacrifice legally reduces gross pay, enter the reduced payroll figure.
- Monthly and weekly estimates use PAYE-period thresholds. Annual estimates use yearly thresholds.
- The calculator assumes the selected plan is correct. Check your Student Loans Company account if unsure.
What this does not cover
- It does not forecast interest, future balance, settlement date, write-off value or whether voluntary overpayments are sensible.
- It does not combine separate PAYE jobs automatically. GOV.UK says separate employers normally test each job against the threshold separately.
- It does not handle overseas repayment schedules. Use GOV.UK overseas repayment guidance if you are paid outside UK payroll.
Why monthly and annual results can differ
PAYE is period based. If you are paid monthly, payroll compares that month's gross pay with the monthly threshold. If a bonus takes you over the threshold in June, a deduction can be taken in June even if your annual income later ends up below the yearly threshold.
Self Assessment is different. GOV.UK says HMRC works out the repayment from the tax return using income for the whole year. If you are both employed and self-employed, the tax return can look at combined income and deduct repayments already made through PAYE.
Multiple plans without double-counting
Having Plan 1 and Plan 2 together does not mean payroll takes 18%. GOV.UK says if you have more than one undergraduate plan and no Postgraduate Loan, you repay 9% above the lowest threshold. The payment may then be split between loans by the Student Loans Company.
A Postgraduate Loan is the important exception. It can run alongside an undergraduate plan, so a borrower with Plan 2 and Postgraduate Loan can pay 9% above the Plan 2 threshold plus 6% above the postgraduate threshold in the same pay period.
2026/27 repayment thresholds
| Loan type | Yearly | Monthly | Weekly | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | £2,241.66 | £517.30 | 9% |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | £2,448.75 | £565.09 | 9% |
| Plan 4 | £33,795 | £2,816.25 | £649.90 | 9% |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | £2,083.33 | £480.76 | 9% |
| Postgraduate Loan | £21,000 | £1,750 | £403.84 | 6% |
The calculator also includes 2025/26 thresholds: Plan 1 £26,065, Plan 2 £28,470, Plan 4 £32,745 and Postgraduate Loan £21,000. Plan 5 is only included for 2026/27 because the 2025/26 employer threshold table did not apply it.
Student loan repayment FAQs
Do student loan repayments depend on my remaining balance?
What if I have Plan 1 and Plan 2 at the same time?
Can a Postgraduate Loan be deducted as well?
Why can a monthly payslip show a deduction when my annual pay is below the yearly threshold?
Does pension saving reduce student loan repayments?
Official sources
Last verified: May 13 2026. Calculations are estimates based on the published rules and assumptions shown on this page.
- GOV.UK student loan repayment amounts and thresholds - current Plan 1, 2, 4, 5 and Postgraduate Loan thresholds, rates, multiple-plan rules and PAYE period examples
- HMRC student loan guidance for employers - employer deduction rules, 2026/27 thresholds, gross-pay basis, multiple plan handling and payroll edge cases
- GOV.UK repayment plan checker guidance - which plan applies by country, course type and course start date
- GOV.UK loan cancellation guidance - Plan 5 forty-year write-off and other cancellation rules
- HMRC Employer Bulletin April 2025 - 2025/26 repayment thresholds and rates
- HMRC payroll technical specification from 6 April 2026 - historic and 2026/27 annual thresholds and recovery rates