KnowMyPay
Student loan repayments

Student loan repayments on a £45,000 salary

On £45,000 a student loan repayment is £150 a month on Plan 5 and £117 a month on Plan 2, taken as 9% of income above the plan threshold through payroll. A postgraduate loan adds £120 a month at 6%. Source: gov.uk.

Figures for 2026/27 · repayment taken after income tax and National Insurance · last reviewed 2026-09-06

£45,000 student loan repayment by plan

Each plan repays 9% of income above its own threshold, except a postgraduate loan, which is 6%. The plan you are on depends on when and where you studied.

PlanThresholdRepayment a monthA yearTake-home after loan
Plan 1£26,900£136£1,629£34,291
Plan 2£29,385£117£1,405£34,514
Plan 4 (Scotland)£33,795£84£1,008£34,911
Plan 5£25,000£150£1,800£34,120
Postgraduate Loan£21,000£120£1,440£34,480

£45,000 with an undergraduate and a postgraduate loan together

A postgraduate loan is a separate deduction, so someone repaying both pays 9% above the undergraduate threshold and 6% above £21,000, from the same salary.

CombinationRepayment a monthA yearTake-home after both
Plan 2 + Postgraduate Loan£237£2,845£33,074
Plan 5 + Postgraduate Loan£270£3,240£32,680

What a student loan takes from £45,000

The repayment comes out of pay after income tax and National Insurance, so it does not reduce either. On Plan 5, £45,000 leaves about £34,120 a year in the hand against £35,920 with no loan, a difference of £1,800. The balance is written off after 40 years on Plan 5, so on a modest salary the monthly figure, not the balance, is what matters.

Student loan on £45,000 in Scotland

A Scottish undergraduate is on Plan 4, which starts at £33,795, so the loan on £45,000 is £1,008 a year. Scottish income tax also differs, so take-home after the loan is about £34,515. The Scottish income tax calculator shows the tax side.

Salaries near £45,000

SalaryPlan 5 a monthPlan 2 a month
£44,000£143£110
£45,000£150£117
£46,000£158£125

Work out your own figure

The tables assume the whole salary is above the threshold for the year and no change of job mid-year. Open the student loan repayment calculator to set your exact salary, plan and postgraduate loan, or see £45,000 after tax for the full take-home breakdown.

Common questions

How much is a student loan repayment on £45,000?

On Plan 5 it is £150 a month (£1,800 a year), on Plan 2 £117 a month, on Plan 1 £136 and on Plan 4 in Scotland £84. Repayments are 9% of income above the plan threshold.

What is the repayment on £45,000 with Plan 2 and a postgraduate loan?

£237 a month in total: £117 on the Plan 2 loan at 9% above £29,385, plus £120 on the postgraduate loan at 6% above £21,000. The two are separate deductions from the same salary.

What is £45,000 take-home after a student loan?

About £34,120 a year on Plan 5, against £35,920 with no loan. The loan comes out of pay after income tax and National Insurance, through payroll.

Which student loan plan am I on?

Plan 5 for an English or Welsh course started in or after September 2023, Plan 2 for one between 2012 and 2023, Plan 1 for an older one, and Plan 4 for a Scottish course. A postgraduate loan is always separate and charged at 6%.

Do student loan repayments reduce my tax?

No. The repayment is not a tax and does not reduce income tax or National Insurance. It is 9% (or 6% for a postgraduate loan) of income above the threshold, taken through PAYE alongside tax.

Sources & Rate Verification

Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.

Information, not financial advice. Figures use the published 2026/27 thresholds and the 9% and 6% repayment rates, and assume income is steady across the year. Check your own plan and balance against gov.uk or your payslip.