Member

The data behind student loan repayment rates by provider clearly demonstrates that it is less advantaged students who do not repay as quickly as others. Repayment rates have a notable and visible relationship with the proportion of former students from the 20% of postcode areas with the lowest rates of participation. It does not take long to work out why: the combination of higher average borrowing and lower average earnings makes remaining loan balances before interest after five years look far worse in providers with a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. I would be very grateful for the Minister’s thoughts on this in her response in due course.