My daughter went in the last year before fees went up to £9000 (pressure to get her A level grades or what!).
The salary threshold went up the next year to £21k from £15k and the debt is wiped out after 30 years, not 25 years. Therefore, students who started university since 2013 have to pay 'graduate tax' for an extra five years.
It doesn't really matter to the graduates how much they owe, because it will probably not be paid back anyway. What matters is the amount they have to pay back every year and the length of time before it's written off. 18 year olds need to think very carefully about the course they choose. Either they choose something which will make the 'graduate tax' worthwhile OR they choose something because they love it and have no intention of looking for a job earning over £21k.
You're right that they were promised that the earnings threshold would rise in line with inflation, but it's been frozen.
Anyone else struggle with this?

just wondering if these huge turnouts are many of the same people or a new enthusiastic crowd in each place.