Superior Learner Loans_ a information to phrases and circumstances

1. What’s this information about?

This information applies to learners who take an Superior Learner Mortgage for eligible programs.

It explains what you’re committing to while you take out an Superior Learner Mortgage. It’s essential you fastidiously learn and perceive this information because it incorporates details about the phrases of your mortgage and compensation. Please save a replica.

On occasion authorities rules change and these modifications may have an effect on the phrases of your mortgage. This information might be up to date to mirror any modifications and it’s your accountability to be sure to have probably the most up-to-date model. Verify www.gov.uk/advancedlearnerloan usually to be sure to have probably the most up-to-date model.

If, on studying this information, you continue to have questions on your mortgage, go to www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

Alternatively you’ll be able to contact the Pupil Loans Firm ( SLC ) utilizing the contact particulars on web page 4.

1.1 Making the fitting alternative

It’s essential you contemplate your individual circumstances and look into all choices for paying on your course earlier than selecting to take out a mortgage. You may get neutral cash recommendation from the Cash Recommendation Service at www.moneyhelper.org.uk

1.2 Additional data

For those who nonetheless have questions concerning the phrases of your mortgage after studying this information, go to www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

2. Who does what?

2.1 Division for Training ( DfE )

Your Superior Learner Mortgage contract is with the Secretary of State for Training ( DfE ). Please see the Phrases and Situations on the mortgage software kind for extra particulars.

2.2 Pupil Loans Firm ( SLC )

SLC is liable for:

paying your loans to your faculty or coaching organisation

retaining particulars of your account, together with including curiosity and amassing repayments offering an announcement annually (when you’ve began making repayments) and answering questions on your mortgage

Pupil Finance England

Superior Learner Loans are administered by Pupil Finance England ( SFE ), a service offered by the Pupil Loans Firm.

Helpful SLC Contact particulars:

Buyer Assist Centre

May help with:

repaying your mortgage;

the appliance course of and timetable; and progress in assessing your software

Name 0300 100 0619

Monday to Friday: 8am – 8pm

Saturday: 9am – 4pm

Or write to:

Superior Learner Loans, PO Field 302, Darlington, DL1 9NQ.

For additional data on compensation go to: www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan or name 0300 100 0619.

2.3 HM Income and Customs ( HMRC )

HM Income & Customs ( HMRC ) accumulate pupil mortgage repayments from employers by way of the UK tax system.

2.4 Your employer

For those who’re employed, your employer collects pupil mortgage repayments on behalf of HMRC and takes repayments direct out of your wage in the same strategy to tax ( PAYE ) and Nationwide Insurance coverage contributions ( NICs ). When you have any questions on how your repayments are collected by way of the tax system, converse to both your employer or HMRC .

3. Your duties

The Superior Learner Mortgage settlement is a contract. Whenever you take out an Superior Learner Mortgage, you’ll signal the Phrases and Situations to substantiate you’ve learn and understood them. You will need to comply with repay your mortgage in step with the rules that apply on the time the repayments are due and as they’re amended. The rules are topic to vary.

3.1 You have to present full and proper data

You will need to be sure to present full and proper data while you take out the mortgage and you could inform SLC about any modifications to those particulars through the software course of; when you’re in school or coaching organisation and till you’ve repaid your mortgage in full.

For those who don’t give SLC correct and up-to-date data, you could have to repay the mortgage in addition to any curiosity in a single lump sum.

For instance, you could let SLC know in case you:

change your title, telephone quantity or handle

change your faculty or coaching organisation

change your course of research

have a change to the beginning or finish dates of your course

don’t start to check or depart your course

droop your research for any cause

plan to depart the nation

change your employment standing (from employed to self-employed)

3.2 You have to repay your mortgage in step with the rules

For those who’re employed, you could inform your employer that you’ve an Superior Learner Mortgage (which is an Revenue Contingent Reimbursement Plan 5 mortgage (ICR Plan 5). Repayments might be collected by way of the UK tax system by employers taking quantities from their wage by way of the Pay As You Earn ( PAYE ) system. For those who’re a self-assessment buyer or are self-employed, you’ll make repayments by way of the tax self-assessment course of. For those who stay overseas, you’ll repay your mortgage direct to SLC . The Reimbursement part which begins on web page 6 covers the method in additional element.

3.3 Liabilities

You’ll be accountable for any Superior Learner Mortgage paid to your faculty or coaching organisation no matter whether or not you end your course or achieve a qualification.

3.4 High ideas

Present SLC with full and correct data from the day you are taking out your mortgage till it’s repaid in full.

Preserve particulars of your earnings, similar to payslips or P60s. That is just like the data you’ll must preserve for common tax functions and can assist to be sure to repay the correct quantity. Your payslips and P60s can even present the quantity of any pupil mortgage repayments your employer takes out of your wage.

4. Reimbursement

You will need to repay your Superior Learner Mortgage in step with the contact and the rules.

4.1 Whenever you’ll repay

You’ll be because of begin repaying your mortgage within the April after you full or depart your course. The earliest you’ll begin to repay your mortgage is April 2026.

You’ll solely begin making repayments when your earnings is over £480 every week, £2,083 a month or £25,000 a 12 months. In case your earnings falls under these thresholds, repayments will cease and solely restart when your earnings is over these thresholds.

You can also make voluntary repayments at any time to repay your loans extra rapidly.

4.2 What you’ll repay

Repayments are primarily based in your earnings, not on what you borrow or the variety of pupil loans you might have. This is called an ‘earnings contingent’ compensation.

You’ll repay 9% of your earnings over £25,000 a 12 months. Even when your earnings doesn’t exceed £25,000 a 12 months however is over £480 every week or £2,083 a month at any level within the 12 months (e.g. in case you work extra time) then a mortgage deduction might be made.

For instance, in case you’re paid month-to-month and earn £2,500 earlier than tax you’d repay 9% of the distinction between what you earn and what the brink is:

£2,500 – £2,083 = £417

9% of £226 = £37.53

So your pupil mortgage compensation could be £37 in that month.

In case your earnings modifications, both rising or falling, your compensation quantities will mechanically change to mirror this. A special threshold might apply in case you transfer to stay in a rustic exterior the UK. Web page 10 explains this in additional element.

Instance compensation quantities Annual Revenue earlier than tax Month-to-month earnings earlier than tax Month-to-month compensation As much as £25,000 £2,083 £0 £28,000 £2,333 £22 £30,000 £2,500 £37 £32,000 £2,666 £52 £34,000 £2,833 £67 £36,000 £3,000 £82

4.3 How a lot curiosity you’ll pay

You’ll be charged curiosity on the mortgage from the day your first fee is made to your faculty or coaching organisation till your mortgage has been repaid in full. The curiosity in your mortgage might be primarily based on inflation Retail Value Index ( RPI ).The rate of interest will usually be set at RPI solely.

For the most recent rates of interest go to www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

5. The way you’ll repay

Superior Learner Mortgage repayments might be collected by way of the tax system.

5.1 What occurs while you’re employed

For those who’re an worker paying UK tax, your employer will take repayments out of your pay, together with tax and Nationwide Insurance coverage. You will notice the deductions in your payslip.

SLC will inform HMRC while you’ve completed or left your course and provides them particulars similar to your title and Nationwide Insurance coverage quantity. HMRC will test to see in case you’re working and in case you are, they’ll inform your employer that you’ve a mortgage (however not how a lot you owe).

Whenever you change your job or begin work, chances are you’ll be given a P45 by your outdated employer. On this case, your final employer ought to put a ‘Y’ within the pupil mortgage field to let your new employer know they need to begin to take pupil mortgage deductions. Your new employer may additionally ask you to finish a starter declaration earlier than they will begin paying your wage.

You must also inform your new employer that you’ve a pupil mortgage.

5.2 How employers understand how a lot to deduct out of your pay

HMRC will let your employer understand how a lot to take out of your pay.

In case your pay is above the compensation threshold on your mortgage, your employer will take repayments and go them to HMRC . HMRC will ship this data to SLC , who’ll then replace your account.

SLC will ensure that the correct quantity of curiosity is charged to your account, so that you gained’t be charged any additional curiosity even when your compensation particulars take a while to succeed in SLC .

It’s essential to know repayments taken by your employer might be labored out on particular person pay intervals – not in your complete earnings for an entire 12 months. By pay interval, we imply how typically you receives a commission. So, in case you’re paid month-to-month, repayments might be taken and calculated every month. Because of this in case your earnings varies every month, you can pay again extra some months than others.

5.3 Altering jobs

You will need to inform your employer you’re liable for making pupil mortgage repayments and have an Superior Learner Mortgage (which is an Revenue Contingent Reimbursement Plan 5 mortgage). In case your repayments don’t begin when they need to, you need to first inform your employer. In case your employer can’t kind the matter out, you need to contact SLC that will help you.

5.4 Refunds of repayments made when earnings is under the brink

It’s attainable you’ll make some repayments through the course of a tax 12 months although your complete earnings for that 12 months is lower than the brink. In sure circumstances,you would possibly be capable of apply for a refund on the finish of the tax 12 months, for instance in case you bought a bonus and also you had a deduction taken, although your annual wage was under the brink.

SLC gained’t make refunds except you ask them to do that and might be unable to make refunds till HMRC have confirmed your complete earnings and complete repayments after the tip of the tax 12 months. After all, chances are you’ll not need a refund as a result of these repayments will scale back the quantity you owe so that you’ll repay your mortgage extra rapidly. SLC don’t refund any repayments you’ve made voluntarily.

5.5 Staff who’re requested to make self-assessment returns by HMRC

For those who’re an worker who additionally will get a tax return beneath the self-assessment ( SA ) system, you could have to make some mortgage repayments with the return, in addition to these taken by your employer. The full quantity of pupil mortgage you must repay for the 12 months might be primarily based in your complete earnings for the 12 months – that’s, all of your PAYE earnings plus any additional self-employed earnings and any unearned earnings (if it’s above £2,000 a 12 months). You may get credit score in your tax return for any pupil mortgage quantities your employer has already taken through the 12 months so that you don’t repay an excessive amount of.

Like PAYE , the SA system will work out your mortgage repayments primarily based in your earnings above the brink, at a fee of 9%. Any SA fee might be due on 31 January following the tax 12 months of your evaluation. Yow will discover data on how one can fill in your SA return within the steering and booklets offered by HMRC .

For those who pay UK tax and also you get a self-assessment tax return, you need to use this to declare pupil mortgage repayments. You will need to fill this way in accurately and return it on time. You will need to additionally pay your tax and pupil mortgage compensation on time. For those who don’t do that, you could have to pay curiosity and monetary penalties. It is because pupil loans might be handled in the identical means as tax for the needs of self evaluation. Please be aware that in case you’re self-assessed, your occupational pension can even be topic to your total mortgage repayments.

5.6 What occurs if my employer goes out of enterprise or doesn’t pay my deductions to HMRC ?

So long as you might have proof that deductions have been taken, similar to your payslips, SLC will credit score the total quantity of the repayments to your account.

5.7 What occurs in case you’re self employed

For those who’re self-employed, you’ll need to ship HMRC a tax return annually beneath the self-assessment ( SA ) system. Your pupil mortgage repayments might be due as a part of your SA invoice on your tax. The scholar mortgage compensation might be primarily based on all of your gross earnings over the brink, together with all of your unearned earnings (for instance, dividend earnings from shares) if it’s greater than £2,000 a 12 months. There are some common factors to recollect when figuring out your earnings annually.

the earnings of your husband, spouse, companion, mum or dad or every other relative gained’t be taken into consideration

earnings from Little one Profit and incapacity advantages, together with Employment and Assist Allowance, gained’t be taken into consideration

tax credit gained’t be taken into consideration

in case you make voluntary repayments, you’ll nonetheless need to make repayments by way of the SA system

Bear in mind – in case you’re self-assessed, your occupational pension can even be topic to your total mortgage repayments.

5.8 What occurs in case you’re planning to journey or work overseas

For those who don’t pay UK tax otherwise you plan to depart the UK for greater than 3 months at any level after you full or depart your course (whether or not that is briefly or since you stay overseas), you’ll make repayments direct to SLC .

You will need to let SLC know earlier than you allow the UK. For those who don’t, they will cost penalties in your mortgage and the place needed, ask you to repay the total quantity of mortgage plus curiosity and penalties in a single lump sum.

SLC will ask for particulars of your earnings and can work out how a lot you need to repay every month. SLC will write to you with extra particulars about your compensation choices while you’re because of begin repaying though you may make voluntary repayments at any time.

They’ll change your earnings into kilos sterling and inform you the quantity you could repay every month in British kilos sterling.

Your month-to-month compensation schedule is labored out utilizing the identical guidelines as for many who keep within the UK. So, you’ll repay 9% of your earnings over the compensation threshold. Nevertheless, it’s attainable the earnings threshold for the nation you’re residing in gained’t be the identical as within the UK, it might be increased or decrease.

SLC will ask you to make repayments in kilos sterling. You’ll be liable for any prices concerned in changing the forex and also you’ll need to pay any costs your financial institution makes to switch funds to SLC .

For those who transfer overseas or are now not liable for paying UK tax and also you fail to make repayments which might be due or fail to offer SLC the data they ask for, you could have to pay penalties. There are 2 particular situations when these penalties might apply:

you could have to pay the prices of anyagents which SLC make use of to search out you

in case you fail to offer SLC full data in your yearly earnings, your repayments might be a hard and fast quantity

You’ll have to repay the entire mortgage in a lump sum.

For those who don’t give SLC particulars of your earnings, chances are you’ll be charged a hard and fast quantity relying on the place you reside, which can be increased than the compensation quantity due primarily based in your precise earnings. For those who don’t repay this quantity the SLC might take authorized motion in opposition to you.

5.9 What is going to occur if in case you have multiple mortgage

Multiple Superior Learner Mortgage

After finishing your first course, chances are you’ll wish to research one other course. For those who’re eligible for, and take out, an Superior Learner Mortgage for this additional research, and your earnings when you’re learning is increased than £480 every week, £2,083 a month and £25,000 a 12 months, you’ll proceed to make repayments in your unique mortgage.

Though SLC will deal individually with the mortgage on your subsequent course when you’re learning, you’ll solely get one assertion annually overlaying your whole loans. Statements will solely be issued when you begin to repay.

A mix of Superior Learner Loans and different HE pupil loans

In most circumstances, you’ll need to repay the loans you took out for every course in step with their phrases and circumstances which can imply that you simply’ll proceed to make repayments in your unique loans when you’re learning.

For instance: A pupil has an Superior Learner Mortgage for a Degree 3 Certificates in French and a ‘publish 2012 HE reforms’ mortgage for a level in Enterprise Administration each of that are in compensation standing. The scholar makes a voluntary compensation of £100 however doesn’t specify which mortgage steadiness the compensation needs to be allotted to. The voluntary compensation might be break up proportionally throughout each loans in keeping with the excellent steadiness of every kind of mortgage. On this instance, the excellent steadiness of the Superior Learner Mortgage is £4,000, and the excellent steadiness of the ‘publish 2012 HE reforms’ loans is £6,000. The compensation might be break up as follows: £40 might be allotted to the Superior Learner Mortgage and £60 might be allotted to the ‘publish 2012 HE reforms’ loans.

5.10 When will loans be cancelled?

There are circumstances the place your mortgage could also be cancelled and also you’ll by no means need to pay it again, similar to in case you die earlier than you pay the mortgage off or in case you grow to be disabled and completely unfit for work.

Any mortgage remaining 40 years after you’re because of begin making repayments might be written off.

You will need to have made all repayments primarily based in your earnings till that date. If not, in some instances, SLC might recuperate any quantities you continue to owe as much as that date.

If you want to know extra concerning the circumstances wherein loans might be cancelled, go to: www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

5.11 What occurs in case you take out a mortgage for a QAA Entry to HE Diploma

For those who selected to take out a mortgage for a QAA Entry to HE Diploma after which progress to a Pupil Finance England funded increased training (HE) course, SLC will write off the steadiness of your first Superior Learner Mortgage, when you full your HE qualification. You will need to full your HE course, and no less than one QAA Entry to HE Diploma to get the steadiness of your QAA Entry to HE Diploma mortgage written off. You can’t get your mortgage written off in case you’ve solely ever withdrawn from a QAA Entry to HE Diploma. Nevertheless, in case you full one QAA Entry to HE Diploma, every other loans for QAA Entry to HE Diplomas you’ve withdrawn from, can even be written off. For those who self-fund an HE course eligible for SFE funding, you might also be eligible to get the steadiness of your QAA Entry to HE Diploma mortgage written off.

5.12 Making additional repayments

You may repay your mortgage extra rapidly by making additional repayments voluntarily. You are able to do this anytime at: www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

For those who do select to make further voluntary repayments on to SLC , you’ll repay your mortgage off extra rapidly. Nevertheless, any voluntary repayments you make gained’t have an effect on the quantity collected by way of the tax system. So, in case you’re employed, your employer will nonetheless need to take quantities out of your wage. For those who’re a self-assessment buyer, you’ll nonetheless need to repay the quantity due primarily based in your earnings for the 12 months. You may’t get a refund of any quantities you repay voluntarily, except you’ve completed paying off your mortgage and repaid an excessive amount of.

5.13 Coming to the tip of repaying your mortgage

Whenever you’re close to the tip of your repayments, SLC will contact you to debate shifting to repaying by Direct Debit. Nevertheless, if you recognize you’re getting close to this level, you need to get in contact with SLC to rearrange to repay your steadiness on this means.

It is a voluntary scheme which helps you to choose out of constructing your repayments by way of PAYE and as a substitute make Direct Debit repayments on to SLC . It’s beneficial you do that to assist be sure to don’t over repay your mortgage. You’ll need to pay your Direct Debit each month on the agreed date. For those who fail to make the fee, SLC might removethis possibility and also you’ll have to return to repaying your mortgage by way of PAYE .

To seek out out extra concerning the Direct Debit scheme go to www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

It’s essential you retain monitor of your repayments. For those who don’t, then there’s an opportunity you can pay again greater than required.

Your payslips offers you an everyday replace of what you’re repaying and your P60 kind will present your complete repayments in a given 12 months. It’s essential you retain maintain of them, simply because it’s essential to maintain them protected for tax functions.

SLC will do all the things they will to be sure to don’t over repay on the finish of your mortgage. Nevertheless in case you don’t swap to repaying by Direct Debit, you’ll most likely over repay. If this occurs, you’ll get a full refund.

5.14 Reimbursement plan 5

When you have a credit score steadiness when your mortgage has been repaid in full, curiosity will accrue on the fee of RPI except a Prevailing Market Price cap is in impact.

Curiosity will accrue at RPI for a most of 60 days from the date we let you recognize a couple of refund chances are you’ll be due. Curiosity will cease accruing after 60 days or from the day you might be refunded, whichever comes first.

For extra data go to www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

5.15 Sharing data

HMRC can legally give SLC details about your repayments. Nevertheless, HMRC can’t give SLC any details about your tax affairs, as these are confidential. Additionally, neither your employer or HMRC will get any particulars about your mortgage account, aside from that you’ve a mortgage and which threshold you’re on. The relevant knowledge safety laws within the UK covers private data handed between SLC , HMRC and the Division for Work and Pensions. The Pupil Loans Firm ( SLC ) are a Information Controller beneath the related knowledge safety laws. The Secretary of State for Training is a joint Information Controller on your data. For extra detailed details about how your software might be processed and with whom your data might be shared and for what objective, go to www. gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan

5.16 Different deductions from earnings

There could also be different deductions out of your earnings that have to be thought-about when your repayments are labored out. For instance, if a courtroom or a neighborhood authority has positioned an Attachment of Earnings Order ( AEO ) on you, or if the Little one Assist Company has positioned a Deduction from Earnings Order ( DEO ) on you.

If one of many orders is to gather Council Tax or Neighborhood Cost, your employer gained’t take pupil mortgage repayments till that order has been cleared. Orders to gather baby assist, fines or upkeep are handled earlier than the coed mortgage quantity. And, the quantity of pupil mortgage taken could also be restricted so your take-home pay (your pay after deductions) doesn’t fall under any protected degree set by the courtroom. Any courtroom orders to gather different money owed are handled after the coed mortgage quantity has been taken.

Nevertheless you repay your mortgage, in case you proceed to withhold data SLC ask for and because of this you fail to make repayments which might be due, they’ve the fitting to take authorized motion to recuperate your debt. This implies SLC can get a courtroom order to make you repay the entire mortgage plus curiosity and penalties in a single fee. This may be enforced by way of the courts as a civil debt whether or not you’re within the UK or residing overseas.

6. What to do in case you’re not happy

6.1 Complaints

For those who’re not happy with the extent of service you’ve obtained, you need to contact SLC to register a criticism. You are able to do so by:

calling 0300 100 0601

emailing customer_complaints@slc.co.uk

writing to: Buyer Relations Unit, Pupil Loans Firm, 100 Bothwell Avenue, Glasgow, G2 7JD

If, having finished this, you’re nonetheless not happy, you’ll be able to have your case independently reviewed. Unbiased evaluations are normally handled by:

the Pupil Loans Assessor for providers offered by the Pupil Loans Firm

the Adjudicator for providers offered by HMRC

the Parliamentary Ombudsman for providers offered by the UK authorities, similar to DfE (for particulars, see www.ombudsman.org.uk)

6.2 Appeals

These are totally different from complaints. It’s possible you’ll be pleased with the way in which your account has been dealt with however chances are you’ll really feel {that a} resolution about your account will not be right and also you wish to enchantment. As within the case of complaints, SLC have procedures for coping with appeals and you need to comply with these. Appeals in opposition to providers offered by SLC are additionally handled by the Pupil Loans Assessor.

In sure circumstances chances are you’ll think about using the authorized system, for instance, a county courtroom, to kind out your drawback. If you wish to do that, you need to first get unbiased authorized recommendation, for instance from a solicitor, a authorized recommendation centre or a Residents Recommendation Bureau.

7. Different helpful data

You’ll discover full particulars of the circumstances for getting pupil loans within the related Pupil Assist Laws. The circumstances for repaying Revenue Contingent Loans are included within the Training (Pupil Loans) (Reimbursement) Laws 2009 No 470 and as amended (which can get replaced by later rules).

You may learn these rules on-line at www.laws.gov.uk or organize them from The Stationery Workplace (TSO) Ltd (telephone order line 0870 600 5522). Or organize them on-line at www.tsoshop.co.uk

7.1 Braille or giant print

You may order types and guides in Braille, giant print or audio by emailing together with your title, handle, buyer reference quantity together with what kind and format you require to brailleandlargefonts@slc.co.uk or you’ll be able to phone 0141 243 3686.

Please be aware the above e mail handle and phone quantity can solely cope with requests for various codecs of types and guides.