Many adults returning to university live with a husband, wife, civil partner or long-term partner. When you apply to Student Finance England (SFE), that partner’s income can affect how much Maintenance Loan you get. It does not affect your Tuition Fee Loan. This guide explains when a partner’s income counts in 2026/27, what SFE takes off before assessing it, and what your partner has to do.
Every rule below links to the GOV.UK page it comes from. For a general introduction, see our student finance hub and household income guide.
General information for UK home students in England, based on GOV.UK guidance checked on 14 October 2026. Rules and figures change each year. AF Education is not Student Finance England; your SFE assessment decides what you receive.
Important: AF Education gives free help to England-resident UK home students applying for funded courses. This service is not for international students.
Quick answer
If you are an independent student and you are married, in a civil partnership, or 25 or over and living with a partner, SFE counts your partner’s income as part of your household income (GOV.UK: how you’re assessed and paid 2026 to 2027). GOV.UK says this applies if you live with them, even if they spend most of their time abroad (GOV.UK: household income). For 2026/27, SFE looks at income for the 2024 to 2025 tax year. There is no household contribution on total household income up to £25,000; above that, the income-assessed part of your Maintenance Loan is gradually reduced.
When your partner’s income counts
- Married or in a civil partnership: your husband, wife or civil partner’s income is used (GOV.UK: section 5, assessing how much you can get).
- Not married, 25 or over and living with a partner: your partner’s income is used (GOV.UK: section 5.9).
- Under 25 and not married: a partner you live with is not counted. You may be assessed on your parents’ income unless you are an independent student. See Independent Student Status: SFE 2026/27.
GOV.UK’s mature-students guidance confirms that if you are married, in a civil partnership or living with a partner, SFE will ask for your partner’s income details as part of the application (GOV.UK: student finance for mature students).
Which tax year SFE uses
For the 2026 to 2027 academic year, you give household income for the 2024 to 2025 tax year (GOV.UK: household income). After you apply, SFE asks the people in your household to confirm their income, and they might need to provide evidence. If your household income has dropped sharply since then, read our guide to current year income assessment.
What SFE takes off your partner’s income
SFE works out your partner’s residual income by starting with gross income (before tax and National Insurance) and taking off (GOV.UK: assessed and paid 2026 to 2027, section 5.9):
- payments into private pension schemes, additional voluntary contributions and employment-related costs
- £1,130 for any child who is totally or mainly financially dependent on them
- £1,130 if your partner is also a student
That figure is added to your own taxable unearned income, such as savings interest, rent or dividends, to give the total household income.
Your own earnings while you study
SFE’s guide says income from your earnings during an academic year of your course, including holiday, evening or weekend work, does not need to be declared (GOV.UK: section 5.3, your income). More on this in Does Working Affect Student Finance?
How household income reduces the Maintenance Loan
| Where you live while studying | Reduction above £25,000 | Minimum share kept |
|---|---|---|
| At home | £1 for every £6.54 over £25,000 | 44% of the full Maintenance Loan |
| Away from home, in London | £1 for every £6.36 over £25,000 | 49.8% of the full Maintenance Loan |
| Away from home, outside London | £1 for every £6.47 over £25,000 | 46.6% of the full Maintenance Loan |
Source: the independent-student table in GOV.UK: how you’re assessed and paid 2026 to 2027. There is no contribution on total household income up to £25,000.
For new full-time students in 2026/27, the full Maintenance Loan is up to £9,118 living with parents, up to £10,830 away from parents outside London and up to £14,135 away from parents in London (GOV.UK: new full-time students). The Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,790 (£11,750 on an accelerated degree) is not income-assessed. The GOV.UK student finance calculator gives a personal estimate.
If you separate or your circumstances change
GOV.UK says different rules apply if you separate from your partner (GOV.UK: section 5.9), and that a change in circumstances during the year may affect your assessment. Update your SFE account promptly: if a change means you were overpaid, you have to repay that money and the normal repayment threshold does not apply. If you separate, contact SFE to ask how your household income should be reassessed.
Extra help for couples with children
Your partner’s income is also used for the income-assessed grants, such as Childcare Grant, Adult Dependants’ Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance (GOV.UK: household income). Our guide to student finance for parents explains these.
Studying around work and family
Many of the funded courses AF Education helps with are timetabled for typically 1–2 campus days a week, about 2–4 hours a day, so students can work while studying. Browse courses or universities, or read our guide to university for mature students.
Frequently asked questions
Does my partner have to pay anything towards my course?
No. The loan is taken out in your name and you repay it. Your partner’s income only affects how much Maintenance Loan you are offered, which is reduced when household income is above £25,000.
We are not married. Does my boyfriend or girlfriend’s income count?
If you are 25 or over and live with them, yes. SFE’s 2026/27 guide counts the income of a partner you live with if you are 25 or over.
Does my partner’s income affect my Tuition Fee Loan?
No. The Tuition Fee Loan does not depend on household income. Only the Maintenance Loan and income-assessed grants are affected.
Which year’s income does my partner give?
For 2026/27 applications, GOV.UK says household income is for the 2024 to 2025 tax year.
My partner refuses to give their income. What happens?
GOV.UK says you must provide household income to apply for a full Maintenance Loan. Without it you will not get the full Maintenance Loan. Speak to SFE about your situation.
Next steps
Before you apply, agree with your partner that they will confirm their 2024 to 2025 income when SFE asks, and keep their P60 or tax return to hand. Then apply early so any evidence request does not delay your first payment.
Prefer to talk? Call AF Education on 020 7377 8844, email info@afeducation.co.uk or visit us at 47 Cavell Street, London E1 2BP. Our help is free for UK home students.
