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  "path": "/money/nick-clegg-student-loan-system-unfair",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-11T11:54:38.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Rachel Reeves faces deadline to cut fuel duty as petrol and diesel drivers dread soaring costs",
    "Liberal Democrats call for Keir Starmer to prevent King from meeting Donald Trump in the US",
    "Ex-Liberal Democrat councillor slams Ed Davey over demands for wealthy expats to pay tax",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\nSir Nick Clegg has branded Britain's student loans system \"deeply unfair\" and described it as a \"mess\" as debate grows over graduate repayments.\n\nThe former Liberal Democrat leader, who served as deputy prime minister during the coalition Government, made the remarks while reflecting on the controversial decision to raise tuition fees while he was in office.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking to the BBC, Sir Nick said he would accept criticism of his role in increasing the tuition fee cap to £9,000 \"on the chin\".\n\nThe policy represented a significant reversal for the Liberal Democrats, who had pledged before the 2010 election to oppose any increase in university tuition fees.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSir Nick argued that while he accepts responsibility for the decision taken during the coalition Government, later policy changes introduced after he left office have played a major role in shaping what he described as the current unfair system.\n\nHe said: \"I'll take the criticism for what we did on the chin, but the system has been changed a lot since then.\"\n\nSir Nick pointed in particular to decisions taken by later Governments, including the freezing of repayment thresholds, which he suggested has worsened the burden placed on graduates.\n\nThe Autumn Budget delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that the repayment threshold for plan 2 student loans will remain fixed at £29,385 from April 2026 until 2030.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe freeze means graduates will begin repaying their loans at lower real-terms earnings than would otherwise have been the case if the threshold had increased in line with inflation.\n\nThreshold freezes have been implemented previously, with the level remaining unchanged at £27,295 for four years between April 2021 and 2025.\n\nPlan 2 loans apply to students in England who began undergraduate study between the 2012/13 and 2022/23 academic years.\n\nBorrowers on these loans are charged interest calculated at Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation plus up to three percentage points, with the precise rate determined by their earnings.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Rachel Reeves faces deadline to cut fuel duty as petrol and diesel drivers dread soaring costs\n  * Liberal Democrats call for Keir Starmer to prevent King from meeting Donald Trump in the US\n  * Ex-Liberal Democrat councillor slams Ed Davey over demands for wealthy expats to pay tax\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe National Union of Students is meeting with MPs in Westminster today to press for reforms to the student loan system.\n\nStudent representatives from universities across the country have travelled to Parliament to present their concerns directly to parliamentarians.\n\nNUS president Amira Campbell said: \"The strength of feeling in the failures of the student loan system cannot be denied, student leaders from across the country are travelling down to Westminster today to speak with their MPs about this broken system.\"\n\nThe union is calling on ministers to increase the repayment threshold for plan 2 loans, arguing that doing so would reduce the pressure on graduates affected by the freeze.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSome Labour backbenchers have also raised concerns about the current system and urged the Government to reconsider aspects of the policy.\n\nPrime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously said his Government would explore ways to make the student finance system fairer.\n\nDowning Street indicated last month that ministers may consider potential changes to both repayment thresholds and interest rate structures as part of that process.\n\nSir Keir has previously described the current arrangements as a \"broken student loans system\" inherited from the Conservatives, adding that the Government has restored maintenance grants to support students.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nConservative leader Kemi Badenoch has proposed an alternative approach, stating that her party would limit interest on plan 2 loans to RPI inflation alone.\n\nUnder that proposal the additional three percentage point interest charge currently applied to some borrowers would be removed.\n\nA Government spokesperson defended the current policy, saying the repayment threshold freeze was introduced \"to protect taxpayers and students now, alongside future generations of learners and workers\".\n\nThe spokesperson added that the system ensures graduates with lower incomes remain protected through repayments that are based on earnings.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Nick Clegg says student loans are a 'mess' and 'deeply unfair'... despite trebling tuition to £9,000"
}