How do I know if I have overpaid my student loan?

You may have overpaid if your employer deducted repayments when your income was below the repayment threshold, if you were put on the wrong repayment plan, or if you had multiple employments and HMRC collected too much. Check your payslips and P60 against your annual statement from the Student Loans Company.

What are the repayment thresholds for each plan?

For 2025/26: Plan 1 threshold is £24,990, Plan 2 is £27,295, Plan 4 (Scotland) is £31,395, and Plan 5 is £25,000 per year. You only repay 9% of income above these thresholds.

How do I claim a student loan overpayment refund?

Contact the Student Loans Company (SLC) directly on 0300 100 0611 to report an overpayment and request a refund. You will need your student loan reference number, National Insurance number, and payslips or P60 as evidence. Refunds are usually processed within 4-6 weeks.

Is there a time limit to claim a student loan refund?

HMRC can refund overpayments collected through PAYE for up to 4 years (for income tax and NI errors). For student loan overpayments specifically, the SLC can investigate and refund within similar timeframes, but it is best to claim as soon as you identify an error.

Why might I have been put on the wrong repayment plan?

HMRC may apply a temporary Plan 1 repayment rate if they do not have your loan type on record — for example if you started in Scotland under Plan 4 or recently took out a Plan 5 loan. If PAYE deductions are made under the wrong plan, you could have overpaid if a higher-threshold plan applies to you.

What is the difference between Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4 and Plan 5?

Plan 1: pre-September 2012 starters in England/Wales, or Northern Ireland students. Plan 2: post-September 2012 starters in England/Wales. Plan 4: Scottish domiciled students (replaced Plan 1 in Scotland from 2021). Plan 5: new starters from August 2023 in England. Each plan has different repayment thresholds and write-off timescales.

Can I get a refund if I have fully repaid my loan?

Yes. If you have repaid more than the total outstanding balance, you are entitled to a refund of the overpayment. The SLC will notify you if your account reaches zero and a refund is due, but it is worth checking your account or calling to confirm.

Do student loan repayments show on my payslip?

Yes. If you are on PAYE and your employer is aware of your loan, repayments appear as a separate deduction on your payslip, typically labelled as Student Loan Deduction (Plan 1, 2, 4 or 5). Check these monthly to catch any over-deductions early.

What happens if I earn below the threshold for a whole year?

If your annual income stays below your plan's threshold, no repayments should be deducted. If deductions were still taken — for example because monthly income temporarily exceeded the monthly threshold — you may be entitled to a refund. HMRC can reconcile this at year end through your tax return or automatically via PAYE.

Does working abroad affect my student loan repayments?

Yes. If you move abroad, you must notify the SLC and make voluntary overseas repayments directly. The rate is based on the country you move to and your income there. If you were paying through PAYE and then moved without notifying the SLC, check whether you have overpaid or underpaid.

Can I voluntarily overpay my student loan to clear it faster?

Yes. You can make voluntary extra payments to the SLC at any time to reduce your balance. However, given that outstanding loan balances are written off after a set number of years (25 years for Plan 2, 30 years for Plan 5), voluntary overpayment may not always be financially beneficial unless you are close to full repayment.

Who do I contact about student loan problems?

Contact the Student Loans Company on 0300 100 0611 for repayment queries, overpayments, or account issues. For tax-related deduction errors on PAYE, contact HMRC on 0300 200 3300. For Scottish loans, contact SAAS or the SLC Scotland team.

Student Loan Overpayment Calculator UK 2025/26

Key Refund Facts

You only repay 9% of income above your threshold
Call the SLC on 0300 100 0611 to claim overpayments
Plan 4 (Scotland) has the highest threshold at £31,395
Deductions below threshold are refundable — check your payslips

Check Your Student Loan Repayments

Annual Income (£)

Repayment Plan

2025/26 Student Loan Repayment Thresholds

Plan	Annual Threshold	Monthly Threshold	Repayment Rate	Write-off Period
Plan 1	£24,990	£2,082	9% above threshold	25 years / age 65
Plan 2	£27,295	£2,274	9% above threshold	30 years
Plan 4 (Scotland)	£31,395	£2,616	9% above threshold	30 years
Plan 5	£25,000	£2,083	9% above threshold	40 years

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I have overpaid?

Check your payslips and P60 against your annual SLC statement. Overpayments occur if deductions were made below your threshold, on the wrong plan, or across multiple employments.

What are the 2025/26 repayment thresholds?

Plan 1: £24,990, Plan 2: £27,295, Plan 4 (Scotland): £31,395, Plan 5: £25,000. You repay 9% of income above your threshold only.

How do I claim a refund?

Call the Student Loans Company on 0300 100 0611 with your loan reference, NI number, and payslips/P60 as evidence. Refunds are typically processed within 4-6 weeks.

Is there a time limit to claim?

Generally up to 4 years for PAYE overpayments. Claim as soon as you identify an error for the best outcome.

Why might I be on the wrong plan?

HMRC may default you to Plan 1 if they lack your loan type on record. Scottish students with Plan 4 and new Plan 5 borrowers are most commonly affected.

What is the difference between the plans?

Plan 1: pre-Sept 2012 England/Wales or Northern Ireland. Plan 2: post-Sept 2012 England/Wales. Plan 4: Scotland. Plan 5: from August 2023 England. Each has different thresholds and write-off periods.

Can I get a refund if I fully repaid?

Yes. If you repaid more than your total balance, you are entitled to a refund. Check your SLC account or call to confirm.

Do deductions show on my payslip?

Yes, as 'Student Loan Deduction (Plan X)'. Check monthly to catch over-deductions early.

What if I earned below the threshold all year?

No deductions should be taken. If they were, you may be entitled to a refund reconciled at year end via your tax return or PAYE.

Does working abroad affect repayments?

Yes. Notify the SLC if you move abroad. Repayments switch to a voluntary overseas rate. Check for overpayments if you were on PAYE before leaving.

Should I voluntarily overpay to clear faster?

Only if you are close to full repayment. Balances are written off after 25-30 years (depending on plan), so voluntary overpayment is not always financially advantageous.

Who do I contact for student loan problems?

Student Loans Company: 0300 100 0611. HMRC for PAYE deduction errors: 0300 200 3300.

Written by Mustafa Bilgic — UK finance writer. Updated March 2026 with SLC 2025/26 repayment thresholds.