Is my employer using the right student loan plan?
Your employer deducts student loan repayments using the plan type held in payroll. If that’s wrong, the threshold is wrong, and you could be repaying too much or starting too early.
Why it matters
The plans have different thresholds, from £21,000 for the Postgraduate Loan to £33,795 for Plan 4. If payroll has you on a plan with a lower threshold than your real one, you’ll have money taken that shouldn’t have been. You can get a refund if you paid back too much of your loan because you were on the wrong plan type.
How to check
- Find your true plan. Sign in to your online account with the Student Loans Company and download your active plan type letter. It states which plan you’re on.
- Ask your employer. Ask your payroll or HR team which plan they have you on. Your payslip may also show it.
- Compare the two. If they differ, show your employer the letter so they can update your payroll details.
You can’t choose your plan; it’s set by where you applied and when your course started. See which student loan plan am I on?
Common mix-ups
- Plan 2 and Plan 5. Easy to confuse around the 2023 change. See Plan 2 vs Plan 5.
- More than one loan. With two plans you might be on different plans for different loans. Payroll should have the combination, and one deduction covers both. See what if you have more than one student loan plan?
Getting money back
GOV.UK says you can ask for a refund if you repaid more than you needed to because your employer had you on the wrong plan. It gives Plan 2 or Plan 4 borrowers who were on another plan as an example. See how to claim a student loan refund. Keep your payslips and P60 for your records, as you may need them.
Also update your other details
Tell the Student Loans Company about changes in your circumstances, particularly if you move abroad for more than three months, when you return, or if they write asking you to update your employment details.
Source: GOV.UK, Which repayment plan you’re on. Figures are those used on this site for 2026–27.