When Is A Student Loan Written Off? Periods By Plan
A UK student loan is written off after a set number of years, and the exact period depends on your plan type. As a rough guide, Plan 1 loans are written off around 25 years after you become liable to repay, Plan 2, Plan 4 and Postgraduate Loans after 30 years, and Plan 5 loans after 40 years. When that point arrives, any balance still outstanding is cancelled in full — you stop repaying, however much is left. Loans are also written off if you die.
Understanding when your loan is written off is one of the most important things you can know, because for a large number of borrowers the write-off happens before the loan is ever repaid in full. That changes how you should think about the debt entirely.
At a glance
- Plan 1 write-off
- Around 25 years
Key Takeaways
- Write-off periods vary by plan: roughly 25 years for Plan 1, 30 years for Plans 2 and 4 and Postgraduate Loans, and 40 years for Plan 5.
- When you reach the write-off point, the entire remaining balance is cancelled — there is nothing to pay and no tax charge.
- Many borrowers never fully repay before write-off, so the loan effectively works like a time-limited graduate contribution rather than a debt you must clear.
- The clock generally starts from the April after you finish your course, not from the day you first borrowed.
When each plan is written off
The write-off date is fixed by your plan type, which depends on where you studied and when your course started. Here is the current position:
- Plan 1: written off around 25 years after you first became liable to repay (or at a set age for older loans).
- Plan 2: written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay.
- Plan 4 (Scotland): written off 30 years after you became liable, and Scottish loans have their own additional cancellation ages in some cases.
- Plan 5 (English students starting from 2023): written off 40 years after you become liable to repay.
- Postgraduate Loan: written off 30 years after you become liable.
Always confirm your own write-off date by logging into your account at gov.uk, as the precise rules depend on your exact start date and any older loan you may hold. Our Plan 5 student loan explained guide covers the longer 40-year term in more detail.
When does the clock start?
For most people, the write-off countdown starts from the April after you finish or leave your course, which is also when you first become liable to repay. It does not start from the day the money landed in your account or the day you enrolled.
Some older Plan 1 loans are instead written off at a fixed age (for example, when the borrower turns 65, depending on when the loan was taken out). If you have an older loan, it is worth checking which rule applies to you.
What "written off" actually means
Written off means cancelled. Once you reach the write-off point, the Student Loans Company clears whatever is left — the outstanding capital and any accrued interest — and you stop making repayments. You do not receive a bill, you are not chased for the balance, and there is no tax to pay on the amount cancelled. It simply disappears.
This is very different from how write-offs work with commercial debt, where a default can sit on your credit file for six years. Student loans are not on your credit file at all, so write-off leaves no mark. If you want to understand that distinction, see does a student loan affect your mortgage.
Why most borrowers never repay in full
Because repayment is fixed at 9% of income above the threshold (6% for Postgraduate Loans), how much you repay over your working life depends on your earnings, not on how large the loan is. For plans with large balances and long terms — particularly Plan 5 with its 40-year clock and £25,000 threshold — a significant proportion of borrowers are projected never to clear the loan before it is written off.
If that is likely to be you, the loan behaves like an extra 9% tax on income above the threshold for a fixed period, then stops. That reframing matters when you are deciding whether to overpay, which we explore in should I pay off my student loan early. Voluntarily overpaying a loan you were never going to fully repay simply hands money to the system that you would otherwise have kept.
Does interest change the write-off date?
No. Interest affects your balance, but it does not change the date the loan is written off. The write-off period is set by your plan, full stop. A higher interest rate means a larger balance is cancelled at write-off, but it does not extend the term or increase your repayments, which stay pegged to your income. We explain this in student loan interest rates explained.
What you should actually do
For most people, the sensible approach is to let the automatic PAYE deductions run and not worry about the balance. Check your plan type is correct on your payslip, confirm your write-off date at gov.uk, and use a repayment estimate to see what you actually pay. Our student loan repayment explained pillar guide walks through the whole system and includes a calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay anything when my student loan is written off?
No. When you reach your plan's write-off point, the entire remaining balance is cancelled at no cost to you. You do not receive a final bill, and there is no tax charge on the amount written off. Repayments simply stop.
Does my student loan get written off if I move abroad?
No, moving abroad does not write off your loan. You remain liable and must tell the Student Loans Company, which sets repayments based on income thresholds for the country you live in. The loan is only written off at its normal term or on death.
Is a student loan written off after 30 years for everyone?
No — the period depends on your plan. It is roughly 25 years for Plan 1, 30 years for Plan 2, Plan 4 and Postgraduate Loans, and 40 years for Plan 5. Check your plan and exact write-off date at gov.uk.
What happens to a student loan when someone dies?
A UK student loan is cancelled entirely on the borrower's death. It is not passed on to family, a partner or the estate, and no repayment is required. The Student Loans Company writes off the full balance once provided with a death certificate.
General information only, not financial advice. Check your plan type and balance at gov.uk.
