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Written question asked by Shivani Raja (Conservative) on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 12 February 2026. It was answered by James Murray (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 February 2026 on behalf of the Treasury.


Students: Loans

Question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the evidential basis for the decision to freeze the student loan repayment threshold for graduates; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this on graduates' disposable incomes.

Answer

The fiscal situation this government inherited means we’ve had to make tough but fair choices, including on student loan repayment threshold freezes.

Student loan borrowers repay a portion of their income (typically 9%) above the repayment threshold. A Plan 2 graduate earning £30,000 will repay only around £4 a month in FY2026–27. The student finance system is heavily subsidised by government, and lower-earning graduates will always be protected, with any outstanding loan and interest cancelled at the end of the repayment term. It is right that those who are able to repay do so.

The Department for Education has published analysis of the impact of the repayment threshold freeze on total repayments here.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
112435
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Loans Students Disposable income
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk