1. Gather your evidence first
Before you complain, get the records: your full account statement, your plan type, the deductions and interest history, and any relevant correspondence. A Subject Access Request forces the SLC to hand over the personal data it holds on you.
Strong complaints are built on documents, not frustration. This is also why the records and SAR letter exists as a separate first step rather than being bundled into the complaint itself.
2. Make the internal complaint
You can complain by phone, email or post. Say clearly:
- What happened.
- When it happened.
- What you want done to put it right.
The SLC aims to acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and then works it through its internal process. Keep copies of everything and note the dates, because the later stages will want to see that trail.
3. Ask for an Independent Assessor review
If you have been through the internal process and you are still not satisfied, you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed by an Independent Assessor. They are appointed by Ministers and are not employed by the SLC, so the view is genuinely impartial, and they make recommendations to the SLC.
One honest limit: they cannot overturn a decision that was correctly made under the rules. Their territory is how your case was handled.
4. Refer to the Ombudsman through your MP
If the Independent Assessor stage does not resolve it, you can ask a Member of Parliament to refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. That referral is the only way a complaint of this kind reaches the Ombudsman, which is why the MP step is not optional.
The Ombudsman looks at maladministration and can recommend correcting your account, an apology, reimbursement of proven loss, and compensation for distress and inconvenience. It cannot rewrite the law because it thinks the system is unfair.
Escalation Pack
Two letters: the Independent Assessor review request, and the MP referral to the Ombudsman. In the right order, with the evidence framed properly. £25.
5. Legal advice, only if you need it
For issues involving eligibility law, discrimination, or a public-law decision, you may need specialist legal advice. Strict time limits can apply to those routes, so do not sit on it while the complaint process grinds on.
What putting it right can look like
- Your balance or interest corrected
- The right repayment plan applied
- Wrong deductions refunded
- A write-off finally applied
- An apology and, where the delay caused worry or cost, financial redress
Ask for the outcome you actually want. A complaint that ends "please look into this" invites a letter explaining why nothing will change.
Related: the deduction errors to check for, the four refund reasons, and when a loan should be written off.
The letter for this
Escalation Pack. Independent Assessor and Ombudsman
Written for this specific ground, with the law cited and the evidence demands built in. Complete the placeholders and send it.
Included free with the letter
- How Student Loan Complaints Work
Frequently asked questions
How do I complain to the Student Loans Company?
You can complain by phone, email or post. Say clearly what happened, when it happened, and what you want done to put it right. The SLC aims to acknowledge a complaint within 5 working days and then works it through its internal process. Keep copies of everything and note every date.
What is the difference between an appeal and a complaint?
An appeal challenges a funding or entitlement decision. A complaint is about poor service, delay, mistakes or misinformation, which is called maladministration. They travel down different routes, and mixing them up slows everything down. Decide which one yours actually is before you write.
What is an SLC Independent Assessor?
If you have been through the SLC internal process and remain dissatisfied, you can ask for review by an Independent Assessor. They are appointed by Ministers and are not SLC employees, so they give an impartial view and make recommendations. What they cannot do is overturn a decision that was correctly made under the rules.
How do I get the Ombudsman involved?
Through your MP. A complaint of this kind can only reach the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman by referral from a Member of Parliament, and only after you have exhausted the earlier stages. Write to your local constituency office.
What can the Ombudsman actually do?
It looks at maladministration and can recommend correcting your account, an apology, reimbursement of proven loss, and compensation for distress and inconvenience. What it cannot do is rewrite the law or the repayment rules because it considers them unfair.
What counts as putting it right?
Your balance or interest corrected, the right repayment plan applied, wrong deductions refunded, a write-off finally applied, and an apology with financial redress where the delay caused real worry or cost. Ask for the specific outcome you want rather than leaving it open.
Sources: gov.uk, Student Loans Company complaints procedure; gov.uk, Independent Assessors for SLC Terms of Reference; Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Last checked 18 July 2026. Steps and contact details change: check gov.uk for the current position.