Mortgage arrears
Find out your options if you’ve fallen behind on your mortgage payments, including how your lender should support you and what help’s available if you get certain benefits.
First steps
Your mortgage is a priority bill and there can be serious consequences if you don’t pay. If you’re struggling, get free independent debt advice as soon as you can. You should also:
Speak to your lender. They have to treat you fairly and try to work with you to find a solution. If they’ve signed up to the mortgage charter, they should offer you support e.g. switching to interest-only payments for six months.
Pay as much as you can. Try and pay as much as you can afford, even if you’ve missed some payments or you can’t repay the full amount.
What’s the mortgage charter?
Most mortgage lenders have signed up to the mortgage charter. This sets out the standards lenders are expected to meet when customers are worried about repaying their mortgage.
The mortgage charter means:
- if you're worried about repayments, you can get in touch with your lender for help without any impact on your credit file
- if you’re up to date with your payments, you can switch to a new deal at the end of your current one without another affordability check
- lenders should give you information in advance of your current rate ending to help you plan ahead
- lenders should offer tailored support if you’re struggling e.g. extending your mortgage, interest-only payments or a temporary pause on payments
- you shouldn’t be forced to leave your home within 12 months of your first missed payment, unless you agree to or there are exceptional circumstances
- you can lock in a deal up to six months before your current fixed-rate deal ends
- you can ask for a better like-for-like deal up to two weeks before a new mortgage deal starts
You can check if your lender has signed up.
If you think your lender isn’t treating you fairly or following the charter, you can complain to the financial ombudsman.
Money worries?
Begin your debt advice journey now
or find out what getting debt advice involves.
Help with payments
Support for mortgage interest loan
If you get certain benefits, you might be able to get a support for mortgage interest loan from the government to help you pay some, or all, of the interest on your mortgage.
You can apply for the loan if you get one of these five benefits:
- universal credit
- income support
- income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- income-related employment and support allowance
- pension credit
Increase your income
Check you’re getting everything you’re entitled to using our online benefits checker.
Debt solutions and mortgages
Find out how your mortgage might be affected by a debt solution.