Student loan overpayments 🧑‍🎓

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What is a student loan overpayment?

A student loan overpayment happens when more money is taken from your pay than you actually owe, or when deductions continue after your loan should have stopped.

This usually shows up as:

• extra deductions on payslips

• deductions after your loan is fully repaid

• payments taken when your income is below the threshold

The money doesn’t disappear — but you usually have to ask for it back.

Why do student loan overpayments happen?

Overpayments are surprisingly common. The most common causes are:

1️⃣ You finished repaying your loan

If you’ve fully repaid your student loan, deductions can still continue for a short period — especially if you’re paid monthly.

This happens because:

• employers report payroll data with a delay

• the stop instruction doesn’t always line up perfectly

Any payments taken after the loan is cleared can usually be refunded.

2️⃣ You changed jobs

When you change jobs:

• your new employer may not have the correct student loan status

• deductions can restart incorrectly

This is especially common if:

• your P45 wasn’t processed properly

• your loan plan type wasn’t updated

3️⃣ You were on the wrong repayment plan

There are different repayment plans (Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Postgraduate Loan).

If you’re placed on the wrong plan, you may:

• repay too much

• repay when you shouldn’t

• repay at the wrong threshold

4️⃣ Your income fluctuates

If your pay varies (overtime, bonuses, variable hours):

• deductions can be taken in months you’re actually below the threshold

• this is common for contractors, freelancers, and people with irregular pay

Who is most likely to overpay?

You’re more at risk if you:

• recently paid off your student loan

• changed jobs or payroll systems

• have multiple jobs

• have variable income

• moved abroad and returned

• have both undergraduate and postgraduate loans

How to check if you’ve overpaid

Step 1: Check your payslips

Look for:

• “Student Loan” or “SL” deductions

• deductions continuing after you believe the loan was repaid

Compare:

• your gross pay

• the repayment threshold for your plan

• the amount deducted

Step 2: Check your student loan balance

Log in to your account with Student Loans Company (SLC):

This shows:

• your remaining balance

• repayment history

• whether your loan is marked as fully repaid

How to claim a refund for student loan overpayments

If you believe you’ve overpaid, you need to contact the Student Loans Company directly.

Option 1: Claim via your online account

If you’re logged in and your loan is fully repaid, you may see refund options or instructions.

Option 2: Contact Student Loans Company

You can contact SLC to request a refund

They may ask for:

• National Insurance number

• employer details

• payslips

• bank details for the refund

If an overpayment is confirmed, refunds are usually paid directly to your bank account.

Can you get a refund automatically?

Sometimes — but don’t rely on it.

In some cases:

• SLC will automatically refund overpayments

• but many people report having to actively chase

If you suspect an overpayment, it’s always safer to raise it yourself.

How far back can you claim?

There isn’t a single fixed rule, but in practice:

• recent overpayments are easiest to reclaim

• older cases may still be considered if evidence exists

If you think you’ve overpaid in the past, it’s still worth checking — especially if the loan was cleared years ago and deductions continued.

How to avoid overpaying in future

If you’re close to clearing your loan:

• consider switching to Direct Debit repayments for the final balance

• this prevents deductions continuing once the loan is repaid

You can arrange this via your SLC account.

Also:

• check your payslips regularly

• keep an eye on repayment thresholds

• update SLC if your circumstances change

Final thoughts

Student loan overpayments are not rare — and they’re not your fault.

If:

• deductions continued after repayment

• payments were taken incorrectly

• or your situation changed

…it’s worth checking.

Even small overpayments add up — and the only person who’ll notice is you.