Get help to stay in your own home

If you’re struggling to pay your mortgage, do not ignore any problems you’re having.

If you’re in arrears, pay as much as you can. Then speak to your lender.

If you do not take action you could get your home repossessed.

If your lender says they will repossess your home, they may agree to wait at least 3 months before taking action. Lenders must treat you fairly and take all of your circumstances into account. They may try to help in other ways, for example by:

• accepting reduced payments from you in the short term
• reducing your monthly mortgage payments for a set amount of time
• allowing you time to sell your home

Get help

If your home is about to be repossessed, ask our housing solutions service for financial advice.

Email housing.options@southwark.gov.uk. 

Read the National Homelessness Advice Service's guidance on what to do if you cannot pay your mortgage (PDF, 265KB).

Other help is available including:

• advice from Citizens Advice Southwark
• advice on avoiding repossession from GOV.UK
• mortgage protection insurance to cover your payments if you’ve lost your job or you’re too ill to work; check with your lender
• Income Support to pay the interest on your mortgage up to £200,000; if your mortgage is more you can still use it but you’ll have to cover the additional interest

You can check what benefits you’re entitled to. Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or Council Tax Benefit can help pay your mortgage. 

Homeowner's mortgage support

You can get homeowner’s mortgage support to delay some of your monthly interest payments for up to two years if:

• you had two part-time jobs but now only have one
• your hours have been cut 
• you can no longer work overtime
• you or your partner lost your job and your household only has one income

If you get homeowner’s mortgage support, be aware of the risk. Your debt will be increasing, but your home may go down in value while you’re making lower monthly repayments. This could result in negative equity (your mortgage is more than the value of your home).