The original premise was that student loans were a small, manageable contribution, easily cleared once you entered work. Unlike later student loans, there is no write-off after 20 or 30 years. Gina TsangLiverpool• Rupert Jones well describes the inequities in the student loan system, but it is even worse than he reveals. The student loan debt is a part of the national debt. As a byproduct, such a simplified system would dramatically reduce the costs of the Student Loans Company.