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Do these things first
- Call the lender’s mortgage-arrears or financial-difficulty team. Use the number on your statement or online account. Tell them whether the problem is a one-off shock, a temporary fall in income or an ongoing affordability gap, and what you can genuinely pay now.
- Prepare a household budget before the conversation. List net income, benefits, essential bills, food, transport, insurance, childcare, other debts, the mortgage balance, payment date and any arrears. Separate essentials from discretionary spending. Calculate an affordable monthly amount and say when your circumstances may change.
- Ask for every proposal in writing. Check the new payment, duration, later payment, total interest, total amount repaid, fees, treatment of arrears and the effect on your credit file. Ask whether the arrangement is temporary or permanent and what happens if your income does not recover.
- Check protection and state support. Read your mortgage and insurance paperwork for mortgage payment protection, income protection, accident, sickness, unemployment or critical-illness cover. Check whether you qualify for benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI). SMI is a repayable loan, not a grant.
- Get free, independent debt advice. MoneyHelper identifies Citizens Advice and Shelter as sources of free, impartial help. Do this particularly after more than one missed payment, when several debts are involved, or as soon as court or possession papers arrive.
Keep notes of calls, names, dates and agreed actions. Continue paying what you can without neglecting food, utilities, council tax or other priority bills.
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What to say to your lender
A clear explanation helps the lender assess a sustainable arrangement. You can say:
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“My household income has fallen because [reason]. Our essential monthly spending is £[amount]. We can pay £[amount] now, and expect [change] on [date]. Please explain all available options, their total cost, arrears treatment, fees and credit-file reporting, and send the proposal in writing.”Offer only what the budget supports. A promise that fails next month can make the situation harder than a smaller, credible offer. Ask whether the lender can change the payment date or method as well as the amount.
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Mortgage support options and their trade-offs
Lenders must treat borrowers fairly and consider requests to change payment arrangements. The suitable option depends on your mortgage type, income prospects and whether you are already in arrears. The Mortgage Charter’s specified temporary options are aimed at eligible borrowers who are up to date; if you have arrears, ask for tailored support rather than assuming a Charter option applies.
| Option | Immediate effect | What can happen later | Questions to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary term extension | Spreads repayment over more years, usually reducing a repayment mortgage’s monthly instalment. | Total interest normally increases and the debt lasts longer. The Charter describes a route for eligible up-to-date borrowers to return to the original term within six months. | What will the payment and total interest be? Is the return to the original term automatic, and are there fees? |
| Switch to interest-only | Suspends repayment of capital for the agreed period, so the monthly amount may fall. | The capital is still owed; payments generally rise afterwards or a separate repayment plan is needed. | How will the capital be repaid? What will the later payment be, and is a repayment vehicle required? |
| Payment holiday or reduced payment | Pauses or lowers payments for a limited period. | Interest may continue to accrue, increasing the balance, later payments or total cost. | Is interest added daily or monthly? How is the missed amount recovered, and what is reported to credit agencies? |
| Tailored arrears arrangement | Sets an affordable payment toward the normal instalment and, where agreed, arrears. | The term, interest, fees and credit reporting depend on the lender’s written agreement. | How are arrears allocated? When will the arrangement be reviewed, and what happens after a missed arrangement payment? |
| Product transfer or remortgage | May reduce the rate or change the payment if you remain up to date and pass affordability checks. | An early-repayment charge can apply before a fixed or discount deal ends; a new lender may decline an application or offer a higher rate. | What is the exact early-repayment charge, all fees and the affordability assessment? Start reviewing deals when six months or less remain on the current deal. |
Discussing options with a lender does not appear to be recorded on your credit file, according to MoneyHelper. An agreed arrangement may have credit-file consequences, so confirm the precise reporting and duration before accepting it. Never assume that a payment holiday or reduced instalment is cost-free.
If you have already missed a payment
Act after the first missed instalment, or immediately when you know a shortfall is unavoidable. A missed payment can damage your credit file and, if unresolved, may eventually lead to possession action.
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MoneyHelper says that within 15 working days of you falling into arrears, the lender must tell you the total arrears, identify each missed or partly paid instalment, state the exact mortgage balance and list charges already incurred or that could become due. Check that statement against your records and challenge errors promptly.
Send the lender your budget and a realistic offer. Explain when full payments might resume or when an extra amount could reduce arrears. The lender should make reasonable attempts to reach an agreement and consider changes to payment timing or method. A free debt adviser can assess the mortgage alongside credit cards, loans, tax and priority bills so that one payment is not made at the expense of another essential.
Insurance, benefits and other ways to close the gap
Existing insurance
Search policy schedules, mortgage documents and broker correspondence for mortgage payment protection, income protection, accident-and-sickness or unemployment cover, and critical-illness insurance. Check qualifying events, waiting periods, exclusions and claim deadlines. Asking the lender or broker to identify an existing policy is different from buying a new policy after the affordability problem has begun; a new policy may exclude a known difficulty.
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Benefits and Support for Mortgage Interest
Eligibility for means-tested benefits and SMI depends on current rules and your circumstances. SMI helps with mortgage interest for eligible claimants but is a repayable loan, with its own conditions and repayment consequences. Confirm the current qualifying benefits, waiting rules, payment method and whether the help covers your particular mortgage before relying on it.
Changing the mortgage deal
If you are still up to date, ask the existing lender about a product transfer and compare it with a remortgage only after checking the early-repayment charge, legal or arrangement fees and the new lender’s affordability test. An apparently lower rate can cost more once charges, a longer term or a higher later rate are included. Someone already in arrears may find switching difficult; prioritise a tailored arrangement and debt advice instead.
What not to do without advice
- Do not borrow more automatically. An additional loan can be expensive and may be secured on your home, putting it at risk if repayments fail.
- Do not consolidate unsecured debts against the property casually. Using home equity can turn debts that were not secured on your home into a long-term charge over it, with interest and arrangement costs.
- Do not treat equity release as an emergency fix. It can reduce inheritance, affect benefits and create long-term costs; obtain regulated, independent advice first.
- Do not simply hand back the keys. You can remain responsible for payments until the property is sold and for any shortfall if the sale proceeds do not clear the mortgage and costs.
A debt adviser can compare these consequences with selling voluntarily, downsizing or other realistic options. None should be chosen before you know the outstanding balance, likely sale value, fees and treatment of any shortfall.
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Can the lender repossess your home?
Possession is not immediate, but it remains possible if arrears cannot be resolved. The Mortgage Charter signatories commit not to force a borrower to leave within a year of the first missed payment without consent, except in exceptional circumstances. The Charter also recognises repossession as a last resort or a step that may be in the borrower’s financial interests. It is a commitment with scope and exceptions, not a guarantee that a home cannot be repossessed.
When papers arrive
- Read every notice and court form the day it arrives; note deadlines and the hearing date.
- Contact the lender’s legal or arrears team and continue proposing an affordable arrangement.
- In England and Wales, the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service can provide free legal advice and representation from written notice of a possession claim.
- Attend the hearing even if you are still negotiating. Take your budget, income evidence, benefit information, payment history and correspondence.
- Obtain free debt advice immediately. Procedures and services differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland, so do not assume an England-and-Wales timetable applies.
Ignoring a notice can remove opportunities to present an affordable plan or challenge an error. A court decides possession under the applicable national procedure; the lender cannot lawfully skip that process.
Support differs across the UK
| Nation or area | Potential route | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service for housing and legal support connected with a possession claim. | Access begins from written notice of a possession claim; follow the service’s current eligibility and contact instructions. |
| Wales | Help to Stay – Wales may offer a shared-equity loan to eligible homeowners where lender support is insufficient. Local authorities may also have mortgage-rescue schemes. | Eligibility, funding and application routes can change. Confirm with the scheme or Shelter Cymru. |
| Scotland | The Scottish Government Home Owners’ Support Fund includes Mortgage to Shared Equity and Mortgage to Rent for people at risk of repossession. | Check current criteria and availability with the administering body; Scottish possession procedure is different. |
| Northern Ireland | Use current Northern Ireland housing and debt-advice services. | Do not import England-and-Wales schemes or court steps without confirming that they apply locally. |
Mortgage arrears in context
Historical figures describe the market, not your personal probability of losing your home. The Financial Conduct Authority reported that 0.86% of total residential mortgage balances were in arrears in the first quarter of 2023, compared with 3.32% in 2009, according to the GOV.UK Mortgage Charter page. That page also says participating lenders represented approximately 90% of the mortgage market; this is a Charter-page estimate, not a permanent coverage figure.
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As UK Finance chief executive David Postings said in the Charter, “Anyone who is worried about their finances should contact their lender to find out what options are available to help.” FCA chief executive Nikhil Rathi said the Charter builds on work to ensure people in difficulty receive support. Those statements reinforce early contact, but they do not determine an individual lender’s eligibility decision.
A practical checklist for the next 48 hours
- Put the mortgage statement, policy documents, payslips or benefit letters and bank statements together.
- Complete a bare-bones budget and identify the amount you can pay without missing essentials.
- Call the lender and request a written list of options and consequences.
- Check existing protection and current benefit or SMI eligibility.
- Book free confidential advice from Citizens Advice, Shelter or another independent debt service.
- If a possession notice has arrived, obtain legal help and diarise every court deadline.
Scheme rules, lender participation, benefit criteria and regional procedures can change. Verify current details with the responsible official service before relying on a particular option.
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