The US Education Department will restart student loan collections from 5 May, targeting over 5 million borrowers in default. Wage garnishment and benefit offsets will resume after a pause that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Education announced on Monday that it will restart collecting federal student loans in default on May 5, ending a pandemic-era pause that began roughly five years ago.

About 25 percent of all borrowers have or will default on their student loans in the next few months, and another 35 percent are at least 60 days past due.