Example
GBP 5,000 bonus with Plan 2 versus no student loan
A worked example showing how much a Plan 2 deduction can reduce the spendable value of a bonus compared with the same bonus and no student loan.
Scenario
Take the same GBP 5,000 bonus on a GBP 50,000 salary and compare the result with no student loan selected versus Plan 2 selected.
What the output means
In the current annual model, the bonus leaves about GBP 2,937.80 with no student loan selected. With Plan 2 selected, the same bonus leaves about GBP 2,487.80. Around GBP 450 of the gap comes from student-loan deductions alone.
Practical interpretation
This is why people often say a bonus felt "more taxed" than expected. It is not a special bonus tax rule. It is the normal deduction stack plus a student-loan slice on the extra pay.
Best next step
Use the bonus tax calculator for your own salary and plan, then read Student loans and take-home pay, explained properly or Bonus tax explained UK for the interpretation layer.
Related guides
Guide
Student loans and take-home pay, explained properly
A practical UK guide to how student loan plans change take-home pay, why Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5, and postgraduate loans feel different, and what that means for raises, bonuses, salary sacrifice, and job offers.
9 min read
Guide
Bonus tax explained UK
A practical guide to why a bonus can feel heavily taxed, how annual tax logic works, and what to watch for when you compare bonus-heavy pay with higher base salary.
6 min read
How to use PayPath here
Run the relevant calculator for your live numbers, review the methodology if the assumptions matter to your decision, and save the strongest scenarios in the workspace if you are comparing more than one option.