£4,000 Personal Loan over 1 year: what it costs each month
What a £4,000 personal loan over 1 year costs at different rates
The rate you are offered depends on your credit score, your income and how much you borrow. The same £4,000 over 1 year can cost very different amounts, so it is worth seeing the whole range before you apply.
Moving the rate by one percentage point, from 9.9% to 10.9%, changes the monthly payment by about £1.70 and the total interest by about £20.
£4,000 over 1 year by interest rate
| APR | Monthly payment | Total interest | Total repaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.9% | £343.80 | £126 | £4,126 |
| 7.9% | £347.27 | £167 | £4,167 |
| 9.9% | £350.69 | £208 | £4,208 |
| 14.9% | £359.09 | £309 | £4,309 |
| 19.9% | £367.27 | £407 | £4,407 |
| 24.9% | £375.23 | £503 | £4,503 |
Fixed rate, equal monthly payments, no fees.
The formula behind the payment
The payment on a fixed-rate loan is: amount × monthly rate ÷ (1 − (1 + monthly rate)−months). For £4,000 over 12 months at 9.9% APR the monthly rate is 0.7898%, which gives £350.69. Multiplying by 12 months gives £4,208 repaid in total, so the cost of borrowing is £208.
Should you borrow £4,000 over 1 year or a different term?
A longer term lowers the monthly payment but you pay interest for longer. At 9.9% APR, repaying £4,000 over 1 year costs £350.69 a month and £208 in interest, while 7 years costs £65.33 a month and £1,488 in interest. That is £1,279 more for the lower payment.
£4,000 at 9.9% APR by term
| Term | Monthly payment | Total interest | Total repaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | £350.69 | £208 | £4,208 |
| 2 years | £183.62 | £407 | £4,407 |
| 3 years | £128.09 | £611 | £4,611 |
| 4 years | £100.45 | £822 | £4,822 |
| 5 years | £83.96 | £1,038 | £5,038 |
| 7 years | £65.33 | £1,488 | £5,488 |
Interest versus capital: where your payments go
Early payments are mostly interest. In year 1 of this £4,000 loan, £208 of your £4,208 goes on interest and £4,000 reduces what you owe. By the last year the split reverses, which is why paying off a loan early saves more in the early years than the later ones.
£4,000 at 9.9% APR over 1 year
| Year | Interest paid | Capital repaid | Balance left |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £208 | £4,000 | £0 |
Totals for each year of the loan.
What happens if you overpay your £4,000 loan?
Paying a little extra each month cuts the balance faster, so less interest is charged. Check that your lender allows overpayments and whether there is a charge: many allow up to a set amount a year without one.
Overpaying a £4,000 loan at 9.9% APR
| Extra payment | New monthly payment | Loan cleared in | Interest saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| +£35 a month | £385.69 | 11 months | £18 |
| +£70 a month | £420.69 | 10 months | £34 |
| +£140 a month | £490.69 | 9 months | £57 |
Compared with the normal 1 year term. Fixed rate, no fees.
How to work out if the payment is affordable
A common check is to keep all debt repayments, including this personal loan, below about a third of your take-home pay. A £350.69 payment fits that guide if your monthly take-home pay is at least £1,052.
Also look at what happens if your income drops. Choose a payment you could still make for several months without borrowing again.
UK rules worth knowing before you borrow
- Use an eligibility checker first. A "soft search" shows likely offers without leaving a mark on your credit file, while a full application leaves a hard search.
- The advertised "representative APR" only has to be offered to at least half of the people who are accepted, so your own rate can be higher.
- You have a right to repay a loan early. The lender can charge a limited amount of interest for doing so, so check the early repayment terms.
- Free, impartial help with debts is available from MoneyHelper, Citizens Advice, StepChange and PayPlan.
Ways to pay less interest
- Pick the shortest term whose monthly payment you can comfortably afford. Going from 7 years to 1 year would save £1,279 on this loan.
- Improve your credit file before you apply: register on the electoral roll, correct errors and pay existing bills on time.
- Make extra payments when you can, as long as there is no penalty. Each extra payment cuts the balance that interest is charged on.
- Borrow only what you need: every extra £1,000 at 9.9% over 1 year adds about £87.67 to the monthly payment.
Sources and further reading
Questions people ask
How much is a £4,000 personal loan per month over 1 year?
How much interest will I pay on £4,000 over 1 year?
Is it cheaper to borrow £4,000 over a shorter time?
What income do I need for a £4,000 personal loan?
Does this calculator include fees?
Results are estimates for information only, not financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.