Maintenance loan estimator
For 2026/27 the maximum maintenance loan is £9,118 living at home, £10,830 living away outside London and £14,135 living away in London, tapering to a guaranteed minimum once household income passes £25,000, under Student Finance England's assessment rules, since the loan is paid in three termly instalments rather than as a lump sum.
How is the maintenance loan worked out?
Two things set the loan: where a student lives during term and household income. Living at home gives the smallest maximum, moving away outside London a larger one, and living away in London the largest, because rent there is higher, under gov.uk's guidance for student finance for new full-time students. Student Finance starts from the maximum for that location and reduces it as household income rises above £25,000.
The reduction is a taper, not a cliff edge. For a student living away outside London the loan drops by roughly one pound for every £6.47 of household income over £25,000, until it reaches the guaranteed minimum of £5,048. The other two locations taper at slightly different rates but work the same way. Part-time earnings by the student do not count towards household income.
| Location | Maximum loan | Minimum loan |
|---|---|---|
| Living at home | £9,118 | £4,013 |
| Away from home, outside London | £10,830 | £5,048 |
| Away from home, in London | £14,135 | £7,039 |
What would a worked example show?
Take a student living away from home outside London with a household income of £40,000. That is £15,000 over the £25,000 full-loan threshold. Dividing by the taper of £6.47 reduces the maximum by an estimated £2,318, leaving an estimated loan of £8,512 for the year. That would arrive as three instalments of about £2,837, one per term.
Common questions
How much maintenance loan will I get?
It depends on where you live during term and your household income. For 2026/27 the maximum is £9,118 living at home, £10,830 living away outside London and £14,135 living away in London. The full amount is paid where household income is £25,000 or less, then it tapers down.
What counts as household income?
For most students it is the income of the people you live with who support you, usually your parents, or a partner if you are older. Your own earnings from a part-time job are not counted. Student Finance asks for the previous tax year, then checks it.
Why do two students get different loans on the same income?
Because the taper divisor and the maximum both differ by where you live. A London student on the same household income keeps more loan for longer, because the London maximum (£14,135) is higher and the taper is gentler.
Is there a minimum loan whatever my parents earn?
Yes. The loan never tapers below a guaranteed minimum: about £4,013 at home, £5,048 away outside London and £7,039 away in London for 2026/27. Even a high household income leaves you this floor.
When is the maintenance loan paid?
In three instalments, one at the start of each term, paid straight to you (not the university). It is meant to cover rent and living costs, so it helps to divide it across the months rather than spend it all at once.
Is this the England figure?
Yes. These amounts are for Student Finance England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run separate systems with their own maxima and income rules, so use their national bodies if you studied there.
How is the maintenance loan worked out?
Two things set the loan: where a student lives during term, and household income. The maximum starts at £9,118 at home and rises to £14,135 living away in London, then tapers down once household income passes £25,000, down to a guaranteed minimum that never falls further, whatever the household earns.
What would a worked example show?
A student living away from home outside London with a household income of £40,000 has £15,000 over the £25,000 full-loan threshold. Dividing that by the taper of £6.47 reduces the maximum, giving an estimated loan for the year, paid as three termly instalments rather than a single lump sum.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.