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Martin Lewis: Five things all new English university starters should know

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.


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  • About :

    Martin Lewis: Five things all new English university starters should know

    I get a bit confused here, but...
    In point 3: "Instead, in practice what happens is you effectively pay an extra 9% tax on your income (not including national insurance) for 40 years."
    If you are only paying back 9% of your income above 25,000, rather than 9% from the top of your tax threshold, is the effective rate a bit less than 9%?


  • la531983
    la531983 Posts: 2,602 Forumite
    1,000 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 8 September 2023 at 12:21PM
    Are you on about this article?

    https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/student-loans-england-plan-5/

    So if you earn £26,000 a year a an example, 9% of the bit over the threshold (£1,000) is £90, as per the example on that page. Are you overthinking this?

    Income tax banding are irrelevant. 
  • I followed 'More V' to Martins Blog, then the 1st item.
    That has the title: "Martin Lewis: Five things all new English university starters should know"

    I agree completely with how you arrive at 90 for the 9% of 1,000.

    The text in the blog is "Instead, in practice what happens is you effectively pay an extra 9% tax on your income".
    When my income is 26,000 then 13,250 is above the 12,750 threshold.
    If I am to pay "an extra 9% tax on [my] income" then 9% of 13,250 is 1,192.50.

    It seems to me that the effective extra tax rate is less than 9% on my income.


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