Borrowing Data

Student loan and credit union statistics in England 2026

Last updated November 2026 · Data to Q2 2026 · England

Student loan and credit union figures for England, from the Student Loans Company and the Bank of England.

51.1%

Liable borrowers making payments

51.1% of income contingent student loan borrowers, England domiciled, who had become liable to repay were in live employment and had made a payment as at 30 April 2026.

Source: Student loans in England: financial year 2025-26, Table 3A (i)(ii), Student Loans Company, 30 April 2026

Income contingent repayment (ICR) loans only. Financial year ends 31 March. Repayment status percentages, 'live employment and made a payment' column, row 'borrowers who have become liable to repay'.

£294.6bn

Outstanding student loan balance

The outstanding balance of income contingent higher education student loans in England was £294.6 billion at the end of financial year 2025-26.

Source: UK comparisons - to financial year 2026, Figure 1a/1b, Student Loans Company, 2025/26

Income contingent repayment (ICR) loans only. Financial year ends 31 March. Outstanding income contingent student loans balance by government administration that funded the loan. Rounded to one decimal place by the publisher. Series are grouped by the government administration that funded the loan: England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland.

5,749,700

Borrowers with a balance

The number of income contingent student loan borrowers with a loan balance, England domiciled, was 5,749.7 thousand at the end of financial year 2024-25.

Source: Student loans in England: financial year 2025-26, Table 5A (i)(ii)(iii), Student Loans Company, 2024/25

Income contingent repayment (ICR) loans only. Financial year ends 31 March. Total row of the table by repayment cohort: all ICR borrowers with a balance from financial year 1999-00 (publisher footnote 9). Coverage: England domiciled borrowers (higher education, including EU students who borrowed from England).

£40,330

Average student loan balance

The average loan balance of income contingent student loan borrowers with a balance, England domiciled, was £40,330 at the end of financial year 2024-25.

Source: Student loans in England: financial year 2025-26, Table 5A (i)(ii)(iii), Student Loans Company, 2024/25

Income contingent repayment (ICR) loans only. Financial year ends 31 March. Total row of the table by repayment cohort: all ICR borrowers with a balance from financial year 1999-00 (publisher footnote 9). Coverage: England domiciled borrowers (higher education, including EU students who borrowed from England).

£21.3bn

Student loans advanced

Student loans advanced to England domiciled higher education borrowers totalled £21,345.7 million in financial year 2025-26.

Source: Student loans in England: financial year 2025-26, Table 1A, Student Loans Company, 2025/26

Income contingent repayment (ICR) loans only. Financial year ends 31 March. Coverage: England domiciled borrowers (higher education, including EU students who borrowed from England). Rounded to one decimal place by the publisher.

£4,182.9m

Repaid through tax system

England domiciled income contingent student loan borrowers repaid £4,182.9 million through the tax system in financial year 2025-26.

Source: Student loans in England: financial year 2025-26, Table 4A (i)(ii)(iii), Student Loans Company, 2025/26

Income contingent repayment (ICR) loans only. Financial year ends 31 March. Borrowers who made a repayment via HMRC after they became liable to repay. Figures for financial year 2025-26 are provisional and are normally revised upwards when finalised (publisher commentary).

£47,730

Average balance entering repayment

The average balance of income contingent student loans on entry into repayment in England was £47,730 in financial year 2025-26.

Source: UK comparisons - to financial year 2026, Figure 2, Student Loans Company, 2025/26

Income contingent repayment (ICR) loans only. Financial year ends 31 March. Average loan balance on entry into repayment by government administration that funded the loan. Values for the latest financial year are provisional (publisher commentary). Series are grouped by the government administration that funded the loan: England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland.

1,008,455

Credit union adult members

Credit unions had 1,008,455 adult members in England at the end of the second quarter of 2026.

Source: Credit union quarterly statistics - 2026-Q2, Basic information, Bank of England, Q2 2026

Not seasonally adjusted. Value taken from the 2026-Q2 release, the latest holding this quarter.

£990.6m

Credit union loans to members

Credit union loans to members totalled £990.574 million in England at the end of the second quarter of 2026.

Source: Credit union quarterly statistics - 2026-Q2, Balance sheet, Bank of England, Q2 2026

Not seasonally adjusted. Source table is in £ thousands, shown to the nearest £ thousand (990,574 thousand); converted by moving the decimal point. Value taken from the 2026-Q2 release, the latest holding this quarter.

£150.3m

Net liabilities in arrears

Net liabilities in arrears at credit unions totalled £150.304 million in England at the end of the second quarter of 2026.

Source: Credit union quarterly statistics - 2026-Q2, Arrears, Bank of England, Q2 2026

Not seasonally adjusted. Source table is in £ thousands, shown to the nearest £ thousand (150,304 thousand); converted by moving the decimal point. Value taken from the 2026-Q2 release, the latest holding this quarter. Net liabilities are the amount outstanding on loans including interest, less attached share balance (Bank definition).

58,958

Liabilities in arrears, number

The total number of net liabilities in arrears at credit unions was 58,958 in England at the end of the second quarter of 2026.

Source: Credit union quarterly statistics - 2026-Q2, Arrears, Bank of England, Q2 2026

Not seasonally adjusted. Value taken from the 2026-Q2 release, the latest holding this quarter. Net liabilities are the amount outstanding on loans including interest, less attached share balance (Bank definition).

Key points

51.1% of income contingent student loan borrowers, England domiciled, who had become liable to repay were in live employment and had made a payment as at 30 April 2026. The outstanding balance of income contingent higher education student loans in England was £294.6 billion at the end of financial year 2025-26. The number of income contingent student loan borrowers with a loan balance, England domiciled, was 5,749.7 thousand at the end of financial year 2024-25.

Frequently asked questions

What share of student loan borrowers in England who had become liable to repay had made a payment as at 30 April 2026?

51.1% of income contingent student loan borrowers, England domiciled, who had become liable to repay were in live employment and had made a payment as at 30 April 2026.

What was the outstanding balance of income contingent student loans in England at the end of 2025/26?

The outstanding balance of income contingent higher education student loans in England was £294.6 billion at the end of financial year 2025-26.

How many student loan borrowers in England had a loan balance at the end of 2024/25?

The number of income contingent student loan borrowers with a loan balance, England domiciled, was 5,749.7 thousand at the end of financial year 2024-25.