UK Salary Reality Check Breakdown

None

Choose this if you do not have a UK student loan, have already repaid it in full, or are not yet earning above a repayment threshold.

Plan 1

9% above £26,065/year

Plan 1 covers many loans taken out before 1 September 2012 in England and Wales, and some loans in Scotland and Northern Ireland. You repay 9% of income above the annual threshold (currently £26,065 for 2025/26). Repayments stop if your income drops below the threshold or after the loan is cleared.

Plan 2

9% above £28,470/year

Plan 2 is the main undergraduate loan for students who started a course on or after 1 September 2012 in England or Wales. You repay 9% of income above the threshold (currently £28,470 for 2025/26). This is separate from any postgraduate loan you may also have.

Plan 4

9% above £32,745/year

Plan 4 applies to Scottish students who took out a student loan from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). You repay 9% of income above the threshold (currently £32,745 for 2025/26). Scottish income tax rates differ — this calculator still uses England/Wales NI tax for the salary estimate.

Plan 5

9% above £25,000/year

Plan 5 applies to new undergraduate students starting from the 2023/24 academic year in England under the current student finance system. You repay 9% of income above £25,000. The threshold and rules may change — check GOV.UK for the latest guidance.

Postgraduate loan

6% above £21,000/year

Postgraduate loans are repaid separately from undergraduate plans. You pay 6% of income above £21,000. If you also have an undergraduate loan, both can be deducted through PAYE — this calculator applies one plan at a time, so pick the one that affects your pay most.