A Martin Lewis fan has shared her success story, revealing how a brief 11-minute call led to a substantial £900 windfall after she was overcharged on her student loan.
Abby Kutiwa, from London, took heed of the MoneySavingExpert.com guru's advice following his alert that countless individuals might be entitled to refunds from the Student Loans Company. MSE had previously highlighted the issue of student loan overpayments, particularly for those assigned the incorrect repayment plan.
Other potential reasons for overpayment include commencing repayments before reaching the requisite income threshold or continuing payments post settling the loan in full. Speaking to Yahoo News, Abby said: "The call was quick and easy, I spent a total of 11 minutes on the phone, my phone number was linked to my account, so I got through pretty quickly - but have your customer reference number ready."
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Repayment terms differ based on the plan: Plan 1 borrowers start repaying nine per cent of their earnings above £24,990 (or six per cent for postgraduate courses), while Plan 2 starts at £27,295. For Plan 4, the threshold is £31,395 annually, and Plan 5 commences at £25,000. The specific plan applicable to a student hinges on their university enrolment date, reports the Mirror.
If you commenced your course before September 1, 2012 (England and Wales) or after September 1, 1998 (Northern Ireland), you're on a Plan 1 repayment scheme. Alternatively, if you started your course between September 1, 2012 and July 31, 2023 (England) or after September 1, 2012 (Wales), you're on Plan 2.
For Plan 4, this applies to those who began their course after September 1, 1998 (Scotland). Plan 5 is for individuals who started their course after August 1, 2023 (England). If you suspect you've overpaid, you should get in touch with the Student Loans Company to investigate your account. The contact numbers are:.
It's beneficial to have as much relevant information available as possible, such as the email address you used when applying for your loan. You should also inform your employer if you're on the incorrect payment plan to prevent further overpayment.
If it emerges that you've been underpaying your student loan, you won't be required to repay anything - but you will be moved onto the correct plan for future payments.
