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2026/27 student loan guide

How do student loan repayments work with two jobs?

If you have multiple employments, PAYE student-loan deductions can behave differently from Income Tax because each employer only sees the earnings it pays you.

Updated for the 2026/27 UK tax year
Payroll is job-specificYour employer applies student-loan deductions using the earnings it pays you.
Thresholds matterDeductions start when pay from an employment exceeds the relevant plan threshold.
Self Assessment can differIf you complete a tax return, combined-income rules can affect the final student-loan amount due.

PAYE deductions when you have more than one job

For employees, student-loan deductions are taken through payroll alongside tax and National Insurance. HMRC guidance explains that deductions use the earnings figure used for employer Class 1 National Insurance. Each employer therefore works from the pay it knows about rather than automatically combining salaries from your other employments.

Can two jobs reduce payroll student-loan deductions?

It can happen that neither individual employment is above your plan's payroll threshold even though the combined income is above the annual threshold. In that situation, deductions may not be taken through either payroll. However, the position can change if you are required to complete Self Assessment, where the student-loan calculation can take account of combined income.

Bonuses and overtime in either job

Bonuses and overtime count as earnings for student-loan purposes. A high-pay month in one job can push that employment above the relevant pay-period threshold and create a deduction for that payday.

Model the combined take-home

Use the Two Jobs Calculator for a combined take-home estimate, and read the Salary Sacrifice & Student Loans guide if pension sacrifice is also part of your pay package.

2026/27 student-loan hub: repayment thresholds · Plan 2 vs Plan 5 · Postgraduate Loans · deductions from salary.

Related NetSlip tools & guides

Two Jobs Tax Calculator →Second Job Tax →Second Job Tax Codes →NI With Two Jobs →Student Loans With Two Jobs →Salary Sacrifice & Student Loans →£100k Tax Trap →Adjusted Net Income →

FAQs

Are student loan repayments combined across two PAYE jobs?

Each employer normally applies payroll deductions using earnings from that employment. Self Assessment can produce a different combined-income calculation.

Do bonuses from a second job count?

Yes. Bonuses and overtime are earnings and can increase the student-loan deduction for a pay period.

What if neither job is above my repayment threshold?

Payroll deductions may not arise from either job, although a Self Assessment calculation can still affect the final amount due depending on your circumstances.