Applying for Master's Degrees 4 years after completing undergraduate degree? Advice

I graduated back in 2020 during the start of the pandemic, so decided that a MSc degree immediately after wasn't for me since I struggled quite a lot with online lectures/seminars so thought I would go straight into work instead. It's now been around 4 years since I graduated and now feel I'm ready to go back into studying, especially as it's quite beneficial career-wise for the industry I work in.
However, I needed some advice on how to go about the process. I know it's very different to applying for undergraduate degrees since you apply directly to the various universities. But, given I have been out of my studies for so long (though my degree is related to my area of work), I'm quite nervous about contacting my former lecturers for academic references (especially since although I got a First I wasn't a particularly memorable student) as well as sorting out funding or student loans (e.g. I've heard SLC does offer a postgrad loan, which definitely wouldn't be enough to cover tuition fees, but is it even worth getting that?).
I'd be grateful for any advice anyone could offer around the issues I've outlined above, as well as any general tips.

It's not a big deal. You can contact lecturers for advice and references, just be generous in 'reminding' them who you were, try and give a bit of context.
The processes are set out by each Uni and course - you need to work out if a research proposal is required etc.
Check the 4 years issue - as you have been working in the sector, some courses won't mind the gap. Others might want to see evidence of recent activity, so you might need to knock out an OU module or similar.

Thanks for the response! Do you think I would need to be more cautious if approaching a lecturer who's more senior (e.g. lecturer vs reader/professor)? There's definitely a couple of lecturers I think might remember me as they taught me for multiple modules, but having had a look at the list of academic staff at my uni, I can see they've been promoted to Professors now.
Is there anything you recommend mentioning or avoiding mentioning in my emails to them? Or do you recommend just keeping simple to begin with?
And thanks for reminding about checking the 4 years issue with courses. So far the ones I want to apply to seem ok with it since my work is pretty directly related to the degree I want to study, but I recall there was one (for a slightly different subject) that didn't seem like it was.

It's not a big deal.
Title the email Reference Request, and then write something along the lines of
Dear Professor X
You may not remember me, but I took your course is Applied Fly Fishing in 2020 and graduated with a First that same year in Underwater Basket Weaving.
The Covid, online teaching method didn't fit well with me, so I started work with the Scottish Fly Fisher's Association and have been working as a Fly Tier and De-louser or the last 4 years. I love the work and would like to specialise, and wish to make a number of applications to Masters courses.
I would be grateful if you would act as my referee? I am thinking of applying to not more than 6 courses, and the programmes at Aberdeen, Tayside and Edinburgh have caught my eye.
I would be happy to arrange a short Teams/Zoom discussion to bring you up to speed with my work since graduation, if that would help.
Kind regards
Aquaman
In doing that, you've sequentially given them enough to go search you on a database if they don't recognise your name, explained that you are still pursuing the subject, so they won't reaching out of known grounds, given a valid reason for the gap, shown passion for the subject they presumably enjoy, have given them a scale to the request, and an opening to comment on your choices, and the discrete opportunity to 'meet' if they still haven't a clue who you are.
I did similar after a 10 year break, one referee said yes immediately, the other asked for a discussion, and the moment we met it was clear he just didn't remember my name, but recognised me and we just had a good general catch up.
On the promotion thing - several universities have recently moved to the US job title convention to make international read-across easier. So I you are seeing Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor, it may not be an actual promotion, just a change o job title. However, do a search of the Faculty news webpages, if you do see an announcement of a promotion, by all means congratulate them on that - academics love a bit of adulation!

I graduated back in 2020 during the start of the pandemic, so decided that a MSc degree immediately after wasn't for me since I struggled quite a lot with online lectures/seminars so thought I would go straight into work instead. It's now been around 4 years since I graduated and now feel I'm ready to go back into studying, especially as it's quite beneficial career-wise for the industry I work in.
However, I needed some advice on how to go about the process. I know it's very different to applying for undergraduate degrees since you apply directly to the various universities. But, given I have been out of my studies for so long (though my degree is related to my area of work), I'm quite nervous about contacting my former lecturers for academic references (especially since although I got a First I wasn't a particularly memorable student) as well as sorting out funding or student loans (e.g. I've heard SLC does offer a postgrad loan, which definitely wouldn't be enough to cover tuition fees, but is it even worth getting that?).
I'd be grateful for any advice anyone could offer around the issues I've outlined above, as well as any general tips.

Oh, I see! That makes so much sense - thanks for drafting something too. On that, do you recommend calling them Professor X or Mr/Ms/etc. X (if they're lecturer/senior lecturer/reader and not professor) instead of by their names? Is that the protocol at university now, or is that more just because I'm outside of university and for the sake of being polite?

Look up their webpage. Unlikely an academic will be a Mrs or Mr. First off, use the formal Dr or Professor - whichever they are.

It's not a big deal.
Title the email Reference Request, and then write something along the lines of
Dear Professor X
You may not remember me, but I took your course is Applied Fly Fishing in 2020 and graduated with a First that same year in Underwater Basket Weaving.
The Covid, online teaching method didn't fit well with me, so I started work with the Scottish Fly Fisher's Association and have been working as a Fly Tier and De-louser or the last 4 years. I love the work and would like to specialise, and wish to make a number of applications to Masters courses.
I would be grateful if you would act as my referee? I am thinking of applying to not more than 6 courses, and the programmes at Aberdeen, Tayside and Edinburgh have caught my eye.
I would be happy to arrange a short Teams/Zoom discussion to bring you up to speed with my work since graduation, if that would help.
Kind regards
Aquaman
In doing that, you've sequentially given them enough to go search you on a database if they don't recognise your name, explained that you are still pursuing the subject, so they won't reaching out of known grounds, given a valid reason for the gap, shown passion for the subject they presumably enjoy, have given them a scale to the request, and an opening to comment on your choices, and the discrete opportunity to 'meet' if they still haven't a clue who you are.
I did similar after a 10 year break, one referee said yes immediately, the other asked for a discussion, and the moment we met it was clear he just didn't remember my name, but recognised me and we just had a good general catch up.
On the promotion thing - several universities have recently moved to the US job title convention to make international read-across easier. So I you are seeing Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor, it may not be an actual promotion, just a change o job title. However, do a search of the Faculty news webpages, if you do see an announcement of a promotion, by all means congratulate them on that - academics love a bit of adulation!

Also, @threeportdrift, how would you go about mentioning that a lot of previous lecturers that taught me when I was at the university have either left or are on sabbatical leave this semester? Or do you think it's not worth mentioning that in an initial email reaching out to them?

I wouldn't mention that at all. It makes it sound like you'd have chosen someone else if you could, and this person was way down your list! They know if there have been a lot of moves in their department anyway - but it's not relevant.

Hi @threeportdrift - I sent a few emails out earlier this week. Just wondered, how long do you think it's worth waiting until following up with them?
Also, what would you do if they politely decline to provide a reference? Or try pushing you to ask someone else? Hasn't happened to me yet as I'm still waiting but a friend at work said it's happened to him before.

Two weeks minimum for a reference request, it's simply not a priority for a lecturer and will take some time to schedule and think about.
If someone declines, then you have to move on. You don't watt to get into an awkward situation about whether they just don't remember you, or they don't think you are worthy of a reference!

I see, thanks for the advice. I sent the emails to a couple of lecturers at the start of the week, will hold off sending follow-ups until a couple of weeks has passed.
What if it gets to a point where there's only a handful of lecturers/professors that taught me as most have left the university and they either don't respond or decline? Just trying to make sure I'm prepared for a worst-case scenario.

Covered in my reply above, if all academic refs fall through you ask the incoming uni if they’ll accept a professional one instead.

Not in my case I'm afraid - can't go into too much detail, but where I work, they will not provide references for this and it's always been the case with their HR. So the issue isn't the university as I know they can accept professional references, but rather my place of work

This is getting to be a real issue, who will or won't give 'useful' references. What you may be able to do is approach a colleague and see if they will help you out, making it clear that this is for a university degree, not for employment. Bypass HR!