A key thing to make clear is that not only are payments only made after certain salary thresholds, but also that the amount paid back each month is dependent on what you earn in that month, not on what you owe.

So, two graduates earning £30,000 per year will pay the same towards their loans, even if one owes £45,000 and the other owes £90,000. This means you can effectively borrow as much as you need, and not have to worry about making payments later that are too expensive. In theory, you should be earning more with a graduate salary than otherwise, even when loan payments are factored in.