Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2020 to Question 91961, whether his Department plans to direct mortgage lenders to consider income received from the self employed income support scheme as earned income for the purposes of an assessment of affordability.

As set out in the response to Question 91961, how lenders assess affordability (beyond the regulations set out by the Financial Conduct Authority) and determine lending criteria are commercial decisions which the Government does not seek to intervene in. We are clear that lenders should treat customers fairly, especially in the current context of Covid-19 and will continue to monitor the mortgage market and engage with industry on the availability of mortgage products.