Students: Loans
Commons · Question 112382 · Tabled 10 Feb 2026 · Department for Education · Official record
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Question
Asked by Andrew Snowden
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of student loan interest accrual on borrowers who take (a) maternity leave, (b) shared parental leave and (c) periods of part-time work due to car
Answer
Answered by Josh MacAlister, 23 Feb 2026
Interest accrues on loan balances until the loan has been repaid in full or cancelled, but interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by borrowers.Borrowers on Plan 5 student loans only accrue interest at Retail Price Index (RPI), currently 3.2%...