Key Summary
FAQs
What are the Student Finance household income thresholds for 2026/27?
For Student Finance England in 2026/27, full-time undergraduates in the standard non-benefits group can get the maximum Maintenance Loan when assessed household income is £25,000 or less. Above £25,000, the loan normally falls on a sliding scale until only the basic non-income-assessed amount remains. The exact upper threshold depends on where you live while studying.
What is the maximum Maintenance Loan for 2026/27?
For standard full-time students not entitled to the higher benefits rate, the 2026/27 maximum is £9,118 if you live with your parents, £10,830 if you live away from home outside London and £14,135 if you live away from home in London. These maximums normally apply at household income of £25,000 or less.
What is the minimum Maintenance Loan for 2026/27?
For eligible standard full-time students, the basic 2026/27 minimum is £4,013 when living with parents, £5,048 when living away outside London and £7,039 when living away in London. Student Finance England's detailed guidance shows the basic-rate point at roughly £58.3k household residual income at home, £62,410 outside London and £70,131 in London.
How much Maintenance Loan would I get on a £45,000 household income?
For a standard full-year Student Finance England assessment in 2026/27, the published examples give £6,060 if you live with parents, £7,739 if you live away outside London and £10,991 if you live away in London. Your actual entitlement can differ because final-year status, benefits eligibility and other circumstances affect the calculation.
What counts as household income for Student Finance?
For a dependent student, household income normally includes your parents' assessed income and the income of a relevant partner of your parent. Student Finance also considers certain expected unearned income belonging to you. For an independent student, a spouse, civil partner or qualifying partner's income may count instead. Check the official household income guidance for your circumstances.
Which tax year is used for 2026/27 Student Finance?
Student Finance England normally asks for household income from the 2024 to 2025 tax year when assessing support for the 2026/27 academic year. This is why the income figure used may not match what your household earns now. If income has fallen substantially, a current-year assessment may be available instead.
What happens if my parents do not provide their income details?
You can still receive eligible non-income-assessed support, but you will not get the full means-tested Maintenance Loan available to you. GOV.UK says a student whose parent or partner does not share household income information will only get the minimum amount of student finance.
What if my household income has dropped since the tax year being assessed?
You may be able to request a current-year income assessment. For 2026/27, Student Finance England says this can apply where expected household income meets the current rules and is at least 15% lower than the 2024 to 2025 figure originally supplied. Check the current-year income conditions before applying.
Are independent students assessed on their parents' income?
No, not if Student Finance England accepts you as an independent student. Independent status can apply for reasons including being 25 or over on the first day of the academic year, supporting yourself for at least three years, marriage or civil partnership, caring for a person under 18 or permanent estrangement. A partner's income may still count in some cases.
Does household income affect the Tuition Fee Loan?
No, household income is not used to calculate how much eligible Tuition Fee Loan you can receive. Household means testing mainly affects support such as part of the Maintenance Loan and certain dependants' grants. Your Tuition Fee Loan is paid directly to your university or college, while the Maintenance Loan is paid to your bank account.
Have you applied for your student finance? Are you wondering why it doesn’t cover all your expenses? We’re here to explain exactly how student finance household income thresholds work. If you’ve not yet applied and are unsure whether you qualify, check out Gov UK’s guide
Type of student loans
For an undergraduate, there are two types of loans available:
- Tuition Loan
- Maintenance Loan
Tuition Loan
This loan is available to all qualifying students regardless of their household incomes. It is paid directly to the university if you choose to take it out.
Maintenance Loan
This is where it gets a little more complicated. There is a minimum maintenance loan available to all students. This applies even if their income falls above the thresholds detailed later in the article:
- £4,013 if you live at home and your household income is £58,253 or above
- £5,048 if you live away from home and outside London and your household income is £62,311 or above
- £7,039 if you live away from home and in London, and your household income is £70,022 or above.
Household Income
Household income refers to your parents income (if you’re a dependent), your expected unearned income (dividends, rental income etc) and your husband, wife, civil partner’s income or a partner’s income if you’re over 25 (if you’re an independent student).
What is ignored?
- Pension payments that meet specific criteria
- The first £1,130 for any child who is totally or mainly financially dependent on you, civil partner, spouse or partner if you’re 25 years or over
For dependent students:
Your parents’ household income will be assessed if you choose to share the details and apply for the upper loan limit. If this income in the current year has dropped below 15%, you can ask for SLC to assess the likely household income of the current year.
If your parents are divorced, only the household income of the parent you are financially dependent on is assessed. This includes any partner’s income.
For independent students:
Yours, your spouses, your civil partner’s or your partner’s if you’re over 25 household income will be assessed according to the same criteria as above. Check here to see if you qualify as an independent student.
Household Income Thresholds
SLC will assess the household income and assume it to contribute towards your living costs. If your household income is £25,000 or less, they will expect no contribution, and so you will be eligible for the maximum maintenance loan. For a full breakdown of how much is expected to be contributed, check Gov UK’s guide linked above.
Available Maintenance Loan
The following outlines the available maintenance loans according to your income thresholds, and living situation. However, it is important to note that this is not 100% accurate, as your maintenance loan will be calculated by other contextual factors as well as the exact figure of your household income (not simply a bracket). If you want a closer estimate of what you are eligible for, check out this calculator.
Note that this article applies to SLC England only. If you’re still unsure about your status as an independent student, check out our guide to student finance here.