(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations make miscellaneous amendments to legislation governing student finance.
Regulation 2 amends the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/470) (the “Principal Regulations”), which make provision for the repayment of income-contingent student loans in England and Wales.
Regulation 2(2) makes provision for a temporary reduction of the interest rate on plan 2 (undergraduate) loans specified in regulation 21A and plan 3 (postgraduate degree loans) specified in regulation 21B of the Principal Regulations. The temporary interest rate reduction will also apply to new plan 5 (undergraduate) loans (see regulation 21C of the Principal Regulations), which will be issued in relation to courses commencing on or after 1st August 2023. The interest rate is set at 7.1% for the period beginning with 1st June 2023 and ending with 31st August 2023. After that date, the interest rate will revert to the original rates specified in the Principal Regulations.
Regulation 2(3) amends the Principal Regulations to remove two references to “postgraduate degree loans” in consequence of changes made by the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1335).
Regulation 2(4) amends regulation 74A of the Principal Regulations to insert a new formula for the calculation of the fixed instalment rate applicable to plan 3 (postgraduate) loans. This rate is used to calculate the fixed instalment payable by a borrower resident overseas who has failed to provide required information about their income.
Regulation 3 corrects errors in the extent provision of the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2022.
Regulations 5 and 6 make a minor amendment to, and correct errors in, the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/1986) and in the Higher Education (Fee Limit Condition) (England) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1189) arising from the Education (Student Fees, Awards and Support) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/74).
Regulation 7 corrects errors in the savings provisions in the Education (Student Fees, Awards and Support) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.