23 March 2024 , 08:15
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A new Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the BBC also revealed the largest repayment made by a graduate is £110,112, while the biggest amount accrued in interest is £54,048
The highest outstanding student debt in the UK has been revealed - with one person owing more than £231,384.
A new Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the BBC also revealed the largest repayment made by a graduate is £110,112, while the biggest amount accrued in interest is £54,048. The person with the highest debt studied "multiple courses", while the person who made the largest repayment received six years of funding. The Student Loans Company claims the average student loan debt in England is £44,940.
How much you repay depends on the year you started studying. Plan 1 students start repaying 9% of their income when they earn over £22,015, while it’s £27,295 for Plan 2. The threshold for Plan 4 is £27,660 a year, and it’s £25,000 for Plan 5. If you have a postgraduate loan, you repay 6% of your income when you earn over £21,000 a year. You’re charged 6.25% interest if you’re on Plan 1 or Plan 4, or 7.7% interest for Plan 2, Plan 5 or a postgraduate loan.
A spokesperson from the SLC said: "These exceptional balances are a function of government policy that in certain circumstances exempts specific courses from repeat study restrictions, permits funding for additional years of study, and results in SLC awarding additional years of funding when an individual demonstrates compelling personal reasons."
A Department for Education spokesperson told the BBC: "We’ve taken action to protect students from high costs by freezing tuition fees for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. Our reforms also mean that under the new repayment plan, no new graduate will pay back more than they originally borrowed when inflation is taken into account, and those who earn less than the repayment threshold will not have to make any repayments."
Which student loan plan should I be on?
Plan 1: If you started your course before September 1, 2012 (England and Wales) or after September 1, 1998 (Northern Ireland)
Plan 2: If you started your course between September 1, 2012 and July 31, 2023 (England) or after September 1, 2012 (Wales)
Plan 4: If you started your course after September 1, 1998 ( Scotland )
Plan 5: If you started your course after August 1, 2023 (England)