Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of student loan debt on parents returning to education.

Borrowers will be liable to repay after leaving study once their earnings exceed the earnings threshold, paying 9% of income above that level. Unlike commercial loans, student loans carry significant protections for borrowers and student loan repayments are linked to income, rather than the amount borrowed or interest applied.

If a borrower’s income drops below the repayment threshold, or they are not earning, their repayments will stop. Any outstanding loan including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants. This is a deliberate government investment in students and the economy.