Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of rises in the cost of living on the affordability of mortgage payments.

Mortgage arrears levels remain at historically low levels.

Where mortgage holders do fall into financial difficulty, Financial Conduct Authority guidance requires firms to offer tailored support. This could include a range of measures depending on individual circumstances.

The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre-Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders.

More broadly, the Government has taken decisive action to support households across the UK through the cost-of-living challenges, whilst remaining fiscally responsible. Overall, the Government is providing support worth over £94 billion over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of living – an average of over £3,300 per UK household. The Government is also maintaining the Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500 for an additional three months from April, saving households an additional £160, bringing total Government support for energy bills to £1,500 for a typical household since October 2022.