Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what oversight her Department has of the Student Loans Company's handling of (a) complaints and (b) disputed overpayments; and what safeguards are in place to ensure that (i) customers are provided with an itemised calculation of alleged overpayments, (ii) disputed debts are not referred to third-party debt collection agencies before complaints have been resolved, (iii) complaints and requests for reassessment are not prejudiced by delays attributable to the Student Loans Company and (iv) third parties are not contacted about a customer's debt without an appropriate legal basis.

The department oversees the Student Loans Company (SLC) through regular performance monitoring and governance arrangements covering customer service, complaints handling and debt management.

Where the SLC identifies an overpayment, it provides borrowers with information about the amount owed and an opportunity to challenge the assessment or request further information. Complaints and requests for a reassessment are considered in line with the SLC’s established procedures.

The SLC has processes to review disputed cases before further recovery action is pursued and considers relevant circumstances when handling complaints, including where delays have occurred. SLC takes corrective action where errors are identified.

Information relating to a borrower’s account may only be disclosed where there is a lawful basis to do so, and activity involving third parties must be undertaken in accordance with the relevant legal and regulatory framework.