Maintenance loan 2026/27: the figures by household income

The maintenance loan is means-tested on household income, so two students at the same university can get very different amounts. Knowing roughly where you fall helps you plan before results day, not after.

How household income changes it

The maximum loan goes to students from lower-income households; as household income rises, the loan tapers down to a minimum that almost everyone gets regardless. Living away from home and studying in London both push the figure up. The system assumes families top up the gap between the loan and real living costs, an assumption that does not always match reality, which is the quiet unfairness in it.

What to check

Use the official calculator with an honest household income figure, and remember the loan arrives in three instalments across the year, not one lump. Budget for the autumn gap before the first payment clears, because freshers’ term is when money is tightest and the loan lands late.

The exact bands and a calculator are on GOV.UK, which is the figure to trust over any forum estimate.

Written by Ellie Barnes. General information on student finance, not financial advice; figures current for 2026.