Half of students fail to hit repayment target

HALF of students liable to repay student loans were granted a deferral in 1996/97, because their income was below the threshold Pounds 15,792 salary, according to statistics from the Department for Education and Employment. Student loans were taken up by 590,000 (62 per cent) of eligible students in 1996/97, compared with 28 per cent in 1991. Almost Pounds 1.8 billion of loan repayments were outstanding in 1996/97, including Pounds 2.6 million not repaid through "default or arrears". The average loan payment was Pounds 1,490, compared with Pounds 390 in 1991.