UK student loans are normally written off after a set period that depends on the repayment plan. Most Plan 1 loans are written off after 25 years or at age 65, Plan 2 and Postgraduate Loans after 30 years, Plan 4 after 30 years or at age 65, and Plan 5 after 40 years. The exact rule depends on when and where you studied.
The countdown is usually measured from the April when you were first due to repay, not from the day you borrowed the money or graduated. You must still make any repayments due before the write-off point and keep the Student Loans Company (SLC) informed if your circumstances require it.
When are student loans written off?
Student loans are written off when the cancellation rule for the borrower’s repayment plan is reached, provided any repayments that were due have been made. The current write-off periods range from 25 to 40 years after the April you first became due to repay, although some older loans use an age-based rule.
The table covers income-contingent student loans administered under the current UK repayment-plan system.
| Repayment plan or loan type | When the remaining balance is normally written off | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 — first loan paid on or after 1 September 2006 | 25 years after the April you were first due to repay | Applies to many older England and Wales borrowers and current Northern Ireland borrowers |
| Plan 1 — first loan paid before 1 September 2006 | When you turn 65 | Older age-based rule |
| Plan 2 | 30 years after the April you were first due to repay | Generally applies to eligible England and Wales undergraduate borrowing from September 2012, subject to country and course dates |
| Plan 4 — first loan paid on or after 1 August 2007 | 30 years after the April you were first due to repay | Plan 4 generally applies to Student Awards Agency Scotland borrowers |
| Plan 4 — first loan paid before 1 August 2007 | At age 65 or 30 years after the April you were first due to repay, whichever comes first | Older Plan 4 rule |
| Plan 5 | 40 years after the April you were first due to repay | Generally applies to eligible Student Finance England courses starting on or after 1 August 2023 |
| Postgraduate Loan from England or Wales | 30 years after the April you were first due to repay | Northern Ireland postgraduate borrowing is normally Plan 1; Scottish postgraduate borrowing is normally Plan 4 |
These are the standard rules published by GOV.UK at the review date shown below. Student-finance rules can change, so confirm your plan and current position through your SLC online account before making a financial decision.
Which student loan repayment plan are you on?
Your repayment plan is mainly determined by the student-finance body that funded you, your course type and when the course started. It is not something you can choose or switch simply to obtain an earlier write-off.
| Where you received student finance | Course timing or type | Usual repayment plan |
|---|---|---|
| England | Eligible undergraduate, PGCE, Advanced Learner Loan or Lifelong Learning Entitlement course starting on or after 1 August 2023 | Plan 5 |
| England | Eligible undergraduate or PGCE course starting from 1 September 2012 to 31 July 2023 | Plan 2 |
| England | Eligible course starting before 1 September 2012 | Plan 1 |
| England | Postgraduate master’s or doctoral loan | Postgraduate Loan |
| Wales | Eligible undergraduate or PGCE course starting on or after 1 September 2012 | Plan 2 |
| Wales | Eligible course starting before 1 September 2012 | Plan 1 |
| Wales | Postgraduate master’s or doctoral loan | Postgraduate Loan |
| Scotland | Undergraduate or postgraduate borrowing through the Student Awards Agency Scotland | Plan 4 |
| Northern Ireland | Undergraduate or postgraduate borrowing through Student Finance Northern Ireland | Plan 1 |
Mixed borrowing can mean you repay more than one plan at the same time. For example, someone might have an undergraduate Plan 2 balance and a separate Postgraduate Loan. Each balance follows its own rules.
How can you check your repayment plan?
Sign in to your online student-loan account and download the active-plan-type letter, or contact the Student Loans Company if the information is unclear. Your payslip may show a student-loan deduction but will not always identify every plan accurately enough to calculate a write-off date.
The official GOV.UK repayment-plan checker explains the current country, course and date rules.
What does “the April you were first due to repay” mean?
It means the April after the point at which your course and repayment rules first made you eligible to enter repayment, whether or not your income was high enough for money to be deducted. It is not necessarily the April when your first payment was actually taken.
For many full-time borrowers, repayments cannot become due until the April after leaving or completing the course. Different arrangements can apply to part-time study, postgraduate loans and people who leave a course early.
For example, if a Plan 2 borrower was first due to repay in April 2021, the standard 30-year write-off point would be 30 years after that April. The SLC account record is the safer source for an individual date because course changes, multiple loans and older rules can make a hand-calculation unreliable.
Do student loans get wiped after 25 years?
Some do, but not all. The 25-year rule applies to Plan 1 borrowers whose first loan was paid on or after 1 September 2006. Plan 2, newer Plan 4 and Postgraduate Loans normally use 30 years, while Plan 5 uses 40 years.
This is why a general claim that every UK student loan is wiped after 25 years is inaccurate. The plan-specific table above should be the starting point.
Are student loans written off after 20 years?
UK income-contingent student loans are not generally written off after 20 years. That figure commonly appears in information about student-loan systems outside the UK and should not be applied to a UK loan without checking the actual agreement.
Older mortgage-style student loans made before the current income-contingent system can have different contractual terms. If your borrowing dates from before September 1998 or has been transferred to another loan administrator, check the original agreement and ask the current administrator for written confirmation rather than relying on the modern plan table.
How do student loan repayments work if you stop earning?
No. If your income falls below the applicable threshold, compulsory repayments will usually stop, but the outstanding loan continues to exist and interest may continue to be added under the relevant rules. The plan’s write-off clock continues towards its scheduled date.
Repayments restart when earnings rise above the threshold. Payroll deductions are normally handled through PAYE, while people completing Self Assessment include student-loan information in their tax return.
If a deduction makes it difficult to cover bills, first check that your employer is using the correct repayment plan. A general household plan can also help you see the effect of payroll deductions; our guide explains how to create a budget using take-home income.
Does leaving a course early cancel the loan?
No. You normally remain responsible for the amount already paid to you or your education provider, even if you leave, suspend or transfer your course. Any maintenance payment covering a period after you left may be treated as an overpayment and recovered separately.
Tell your student-finance provider promptly when your course status changes. The university or college will confirm attendance dates, and the provider will calculate the amount that remains part of the student loan and any overpayment due sooner.
Can a student loan be cancelled before the normal write-off date?
Yes, in limited circumstances. The Student Loans Company can cancel a borrower’s student loan after death and may cancel it when the borrower is permanently unfit for work and meets the required evidence and benefit conditions.
What happens to a student loan after death?
The SLC will cancel the loan when it is notified and receives the evidence it requests, such as a death certificate. The balance does not normally become a debt for relatives to repay from their own money.
Can serious illness or disability lead to cancellation?
Possibly. A borrower who is permanently unfit for work and receives a qualifying disability-related benefit may be able to apply for cancellation. Eligibility is evidence-based and is not automatic simply because someone has a health condition or temporarily stops working.
Check the current GOV.UK write-off and cancellation guidance or contact the SLC for the form and evidence requirements.
Does moving abroad change the write-off date?
Moving abroad does not normally bring the write-off date forward or cancel the loan. If you leave the UK for more than three months, you must tell the Student Loans Company and provide details so it can assess any repayments due under the overseas rules.
Ignoring the SLC can lead to arrears, penalties or enforcement. The terms also allow recovery of amounts that should have been paid before the scheduled write-off. Keep your contact details and overseas income information up to date even when income is below the relevant threshold.
What happens when a student loan is written off?
The remaining qualifying balance is cancelled, so no further repayments are due on that balance. You do not normally submit a routine application when a qualifying loan reaches its standard plan-based write-off point; the Student Loans Company should administer the cancellation using its account records.
Check the account after the expected date and ask the SLC for written confirmation if a balance remains. Early cancellation because of permanent inability to work is different and requires an application and supporting evidence.
The remaining qualifying balance, including interest added to that balance, is cancelled at the applicable write-off point. Interest already paid is not returned, and a write-off is not a refund of previous deductions.
Interest rates and repayment thresholds are separate from the write-off timetable and can change. A high displayed balance does not by itself show how much a borrower will actually repay over their working life because compulsory repayments are based primarily on income and plan rules.
Should you repay a student loan early?
Early repayment can make sense for some borrowers who are likely to clear the full balance before it is written off, but it can be poor value for someone whose remaining balance is likely to be cancelled. Compare the expected compulsory repayments with the balance, interest, time left and other uses for the money before paying extra.
There is no penalty for making a voluntary repayment, but voluntary payments generally cannot be refunded unless the account was already fully repaid and an overpayment occurred. Paying extra also does not usually reduce the normal payroll deduction while a balance remains.
Before overpaying, consider:
- which plan or plans you have;
- the confirmed outstanding balance and expected write-off date;
- your current and plausible future earnings;
- the interest rate applied to the loan;
- whether you have expensive priority debt or essential arrears;
- whether you have an adequate emergency fund; and
- whether the money may be needed for a home deposit, pension or another goal.
Avoid treating a long-term earnings estimate as a certainty. Career breaks, caring responsibilities, illness, redundancy and changes to government policy can alter the eventual result. If other debts are already difficult to manage, our guide to dealing with creditors explains how to prepare before seeking free debt advice.
Does a student loan affect your credit score?
A Student Loans Company loan does not appear on UK credit reports and does not directly affect your credit score. However, a lender may ask about the deduction or allow for it when assessing disposable income and affordability, particularly for a mortgage.
Missed obligations involving older mortgage-style loans or separate debts can be different, so check the agreement if your borrowing predates the modern income-contingent system. For the broader distinction between a credit report and a lender’s decision, see what affects your credit score in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Are Plan 1 student loans written off at age 65?
Plan 1 loans first paid before 1 September 2006 are normally written off when the borrower turns 65. Those first paid on or after that date normally use the 25-year rule instead.
When is a Plan 2 student loan written off?
A Plan 2 loan is normally written off 30 years after the April the borrower was first due to repay. The date is not simply 30 years after graduation.
When is a Plan 5 student loan written off?
A Plan 5 loan is normally written off 40 years after the April the borrower was first due to repay. Plan 5 generally covers eligible Student Finance England courses starting on or after 1 August 2023.
Is a Postgraduate Loan written off separately?
Yes. An England or Wales Postgraduate Loan normally has its own balance and is written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay it. It can run alongside an undergraduate plan.
Can you choose a different repayment plan?
No. Your plan is set by the applicable student-finance rules, including where and when you studied and the type of course. Contact the SLC if your employer is deducting under the wrong plan.
Does a write-off create a tax bill?
Cancellation of an ordinary UK income-contingent student loan at its scheduled write-off point does not normally create a personal income-tax bill. Check current official guidance if your circumstances or loan type are unusual.
Sources and review information
This guide was newly researched and written for Money Trumpet and last reviewed on 12 September 2026. Principal sources were GOV.UK guidance on when a student loan is written off or cancelled, which repayment plan applies, when repayments start and the 2026 to 2027 student-loan terms and conditions.
Money Trumpet is a credit broker, not a lender. This article provides general information and is not personalised financial advice. Money Trumpet does not administer student loans, calculate individual write-off dates or provide student finance. Rules can change; use your Student Loans Company account and current GOV.UK guidance for your own loan.