> I’d also note that this is how it works in the US as well for loans provided by the federal government.

Only if you switch to the income-based repayment plan, which has to be reverified every year.

Prior to December 2020 taxes were owed on forgiven debt the year it was finally forgiven. Which could be very harsh if the debt was large. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/how-t...

I'm not sure how it works in the UK, but in the US at least this extra debt is negatively factored into things like credit scores.

And regardless of the payment, it takes a bite out of income. I couldn't afford a PPACA medical plan for a few reasons, but partly because I was paying for loans. None of these repayment plans factor in affordability for the payee, they are a straight percentage of income basis or treat the payee as some sort of national average in terms of expected affordability.