Just a quickie,
Future Captain, trust me it isn't that simple, when you've got living costs, food, petrol, insurance, tax, etc etc, that loss adds up.
As for the £9 a week figure, that probably for someone earning 16K. I lose over £120 to the SLC and 250/Month to pay my Masters off. Thats around 4500 lost each year. And trust me, that is a significant figure.
Just remember it may not sound like much but its 9% of your salary over 15k, and if you start advancing quickly and getting good payrises, then that student loan does start making a dent into your salary.
It's a pain, but hopefully not forever
Jim