Student loan and credit union figures for Northern Ireland, from the Student Loans Company and the Bank of England.
56.0%
Liable borrowers making payments
56.0% of income contingent student loan borrowers, Northern Ireland 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 Northern Ireland: financial year 2025-26, Table 3A (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'.
£6,000m
Outstanding student loan balance
The outstanding balance of income contingent higher education student loans in Northern Ireland was £6.0 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.
225,200
Borrowers with a balance
The number of income contingent student loan borrowers with a loan balance, Northern Ireland domiciled, was 225.2 thousand at the end of financial year 2024-25.
Source: Student loans in Northern Ireland: financial year 2025-26, Table 5A, 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: Northern Ireland domiciled borrowers (including EU students who borrowed from Northern Ireland).
£22,260
Average student loan balance
The average loan balance of income contingent student loan borrowers with a balance, Northern Ireland domiciled, was £22,260 at the end of financial year 2024-25.
Source: Student loans in Northern Ireland: financial year 2025-26, Table 5A, 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: Northern Ireland domiciled borrowers (including EU students who borrowed from Northern Ireland).
£388.6m
Student loans advanced
Student loans advanced to Northern Ireland domiciled higher education borrowers totalled £388.6 million in financial year 2025-26.
Source: Student loans in Northern Ireland: financial year 2025-26, Table 1, Student Loans Company, 2025/26
Income contingent repayment (ICR) loans only. Financial year ends 31 March. Coverage: Northern Ireland domiciled borrowers (including EU students who borrowed from Northern Ireland). Rounded to one decimal place by the publisher.
£155.9m
Repaid through tax system
Northern Ireland domiciled income contingent student loan borrowers repaid £155.9 million through the tax system in financial year 2025-26.
Source: Student loans in Northern Ireland: financial year 2025-26, Table 4A, 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).
£29,180
Average balance entering repayment
The average balance of income contingent student loans on entry into repayment in Northern Ireland was £29,180 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.
671,269
Credit union adult members
Credit unions had 671,269 adult members in Northern Ireland 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.
£837.7m
Credit union loans to members
Credit union loans to members totalled £837.694 million in Northern Ireland 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 (837,694 thousand); converted by moving the decimal point. Value taken from the 2026-Q2 release, the latest holding this quarter.
£25.5m
Net liabilities in arrears
Net liabilities in arrears at credit unions totalled £25.514 million in Northern Ireland 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 (25,514 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).
7,596
Liabilities in arrears, number
The total number of net liabilities in arrears at credit unions was 7,596 in Northern Ireland 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).