The news team from Aberystwyth University’s Courier report on the shocking news that over 63,000 graduates had repayments deducted from their wages despite having already paid off their loans:
The Student Loans Company (SLC) collected £36.5m more than it should have done from graduates last year, with tens of thousands of people now being advised to apply for refunds.
Over 63,000 graduates had repayments deducted from their wages despite having already paid off their loans, with the average graduate having £577 retaken incorrectly.
The number of people overpaying has increased year on year, from almost £16m in 2007-08, to £19m in 2008-09 and £22m in 2009-10.
Pete Mercer, vice-president of the National Union of Students, blamed the scandal on a lack of communication between the SLC and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), saying that ”The huge overpayments we’re seeing annually on student loans demonstrate that a switch to real-time communication between the Student Loans Company and HMRC cannot come soon enough.”
Full story here.
