Write-off happens regardless of the balance
Every English and Welsh student loan plan is written off after a set number of years from when repayments began, whether or not it's been fully repaid — this is a structural feature of the system, not a special exception or a compensation scheme.
Write-off periods by plan
| Plan | Written off |
|---|---|
| Plan 1 | 25 years after the April you first became due to repay |
| Plan 2 | 30 years after the April you first became due to repay |
| Plan 5 | 40 years after the April you first became due to repay |
| Postgraduate Loan | 30 years after the April you first became due to repay |
Other circumstances triggering write-off
- The borrower's death
- Permanent disability preventing the borrower from ever working, in specific qualifying circumstances
Why the long write-off periods matter for financial planning
Because Plan 2 and Plan 5 in particular have very long write-off periods (30 and 40 years respectively), a significant proportion of borrowers on lower or middle incomes are expected to have some or all of their loan written off before fully repaying it — which changes the calculation around whether voluntary overpayment actually makes financial sense for many people.
Interest continues to accrue throughout
Interest keeps being added to the balance throughout the entire repayment period (at rates that vary by plan and sometimes by income), which is part of why balances can grow rather than shrink for borrowers making only the standard income-based repayments — this is expected behaviour under the system's design, not a sign something has gone wrong.
Key takeaways
- All student loan plans are written off after a set number of years, regardless of the remaining balance.
- Write-off periods range from 25 years (Plan 1) to 40 years (Plan 5).
- Death and certain permanent disabilities also trigger write-off.
- A growing balance despite regular repayments is normal under the system's design, not necessarily a problem.