Even if the government shuts down, the first payments on federal student loans since 2020 will still come due.

Interest on most federal loans began accruing again on Sept. 1, and about 28 million borrowers will be expected to make a payment in October, according to the department. Some borrowers have already received bills in advance of their individual payment due date.

“Even if extreme House Republicans needlessly shut down the government, loan payments will continue to be due starting this month,” a spokesperson for the Education Department told AL.com in an email Friday morning.

But a shutdown would furlough thousands of workers who deal with student loan repayment and forgiveness options, making it tough to help borrowers who need assistance.

The department could continue “key activities” for “a couple of weeks,” officials said, but a prolonged shutdown lasting more than a few weeks could substantially disrupt the return to repayment effort and long-term servicing support for borrowers.

The Department still promotes its effort to transition many borrowers to a new repayment plan, SAVE, which will slash monthly payments for many borrowers. Any borrower with a federal loan in good standing is eligible. Applications are available on studentaid.gov.