Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the ending of Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) on (a) homeowners who are recipients of SMI and (b) mortgage lenders if claimants do not take up the Government loan scheme.

Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) is not ending. The scheme will continue to provide financial support owner-occupiers in times of need in exactly the same way as it does now. Claimants and mortgage lenders will not see any difference in the payments they receive. The only difference is that we will require repayment of the loan once the property is sold, subject to there being sufficient equity available. Mortgage lenders will be notified when a claimant's SMI benefit payments cease. Lenders are required under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulations to engage with borrowers to discuss how they will meet their loan commitments.