More than two months after they were unveiled, the government’s student loan changes have now been reviewed and analysed in detail, with experts concluding they will be a gamechanger for higher education in England – but not in the way ministers hope.
The long-awaited response to the Augar review of post-18 education and funding, published in February, included 40-year payback periods and higher repayment terms. While these are unlikely to stop middle-class teenagers from aiming for a degree, those from less advantaged backgrounds may hold back, imperilling the supply of graduates in key sectors such as teaching and nursing, experts have concluded.
