Unemployed. How quickly can I stop paying back student loans?

[glenhSubscriber]

Since I am shortly to be made redundant, I’m looking to reduce my outgoings.

How long after becoming unemployed can I stop paying back my student loans? Can I call them up and stop paying straight away?

[sonikMember]

i think you have to have been registered with the dole office for 2 weeks before you can stop. not 100% though. give them a bell to double check.

[thisisnotaspoonMember]

surely if theres no pay to take 9% of then they dont take anything? or are you paying by DD?

[glenhSubscriber]

They don’t take a % of my pay (the loans are too old for that system), but yes, I pay by DD.

[sofatesterMember]

Too old? How much do you flipping owe?

[glenhSubscriber]

I started uni before 1998, so my loans have a fixed repayment (so long as I am earning over 85% of the national average).

[davey_claytonMember]

If you ring them and tell them you’re being made redundant they will probably stop it from the date of your redundancy. When I became self-employed three years ago I rang them up to talk about my options since I didn’t know what my income would be, and they put it on hold straight away for a year.

I am on the old (pre-98) system too, will have finished paying them in March!!! Wooo!