Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing of a moratorium on interest rate rises for mortgage prisoners.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that the population of mortgage prisoners is varied and complex. There is no single measure to address the circumstances of this population of mortgage holders.
The pricing of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. It is worth noting, however, that interest rates are rising across the world as countries manage rising prices largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
The Government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living, and are seeing their disposable incomes decrease as they spend more on the essentials. That is why we have announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee, millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1,200 of support this year, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.
If mortgage borrowers do fall into financial difficulty, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest 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.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of capping profit margins on standard variable rate mortgages.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that there are 47,000 mortgage prisoners who might benefit from switching to a new mortgage deal but are considered too high risk to do so, despite being up to date with payments.
The review makes clear that the reason mortgage prisoners are unable to switch are varied and complex. As such, there is no silver bullet to address the circumstances of this entire population of mortgage holders without being unfair to other borrowers.
The Government has already worked with the FCA to implement changes to its mortgage lending rules, removing the regulatory barrier that prevented some mortgage prisoners, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. These rules should allow customers to switch to an active lender as long as they meet the lender’s risk appetite and certain criteria, such as not looking to borrow more.
Ultimately, the pricing and availability of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. As such, the Government cannot force lenders to lend to borrowers that sit outside of their risk appetite.
Any further work on this issue must consider the impact and practicality of solutions and their effects on the wider mortgage market, including the resilience of firms and fairness to other borrowers. There is no evidence, for instance, that consumers have experienced detriment that would be resolved by an extension of the regulatory perimeter. It is also worth noting that the Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) charged by inactive firms are in line with those paid by borrowers in the active market. The Government remains open to practical and proportionate solutions to help mortgage prisoners that do not pose unacceptable financial stability risks, and are not unfair to other borrowers in the mortgage market.
More broadly, the Government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living. That is why we have announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. We have also taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1,200 of support this year, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.
When mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, FCA guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government also offers support to borrowers through Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to homeowners in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts under the Mortgage Pre-Action Protocol.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a moratorium on interest rate rises for those with pre-2008 mortgages in non-lending closed books.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that there are 47,000 mortgage prisoners who might benefit from switching to a new mortgage deal but are considered too high risk to do so, despite being up to date with payments.
The review makes clear that the reason mortgage prisoners are unable to switch are varied and complex. As such, there is no silver bullet to address the circumstances of this entire population of mortgage holders without being unfair to other borrowers.
The Government has already worked with the FCA to implement changes to its mortgage lending rules, removing the regulatory barrier that prevented some mortgage prisoners, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. These rules should allow customers to switch to an active lender as long as they meet the lender’s risk appetite and certain criteria, such as not looking to borrow more.
Ultimately, the pricing and availability of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. As such, the Government cannot force lenders to lend to borrowers that sit outside of their risk appetite.
Any further work on this issue must consider the impact and practicality of solutions and their effects on the wider mortgage market, including the resilience of firms and fairness to other borrowers. There is no evidence, for instance, that consumers have experienced detriment that would be resolved by an extension of the regulatory perimeter. It is also worth noting that the Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) charged by inactive firms are in line with those paid by borrowers in the active market. The Government remains open to practical and proportionate solutions to help mortgage prisoners that do not pose unacceptable financial stability risks, and are not unfair to other borrowers in the mortgage market.
More broadly, the Government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living. That is why we have announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. We have also taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1,200 of support this year, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.
When mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, FCA guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government also offers support to borrowers through Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to homeowners in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts under the Mortgage Pre-Action Protocol.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of moving mortgage prisoners’ mortgages to active lenders.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that there are 47,000 mortgage prisoners who might benefit from switching to a new mortgage deal but are considered too high risk to do so, despite being up to date with payments.
The review makes clear that the reason mortgage prisoners are unable to switch are varied and complex. As such, there is no silver bullet to address the circumstances of this entire population of mortgage holders without being unfair to other borrowers.
The Government has already worked with the FCA to implement changes to its mortgage lending rules, removing the regulatory barrier that prevented some mortgage prisoners, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. These rules should allow customers to switch to an active lender as long as they meet the lender’s risk appetite and certain criteria, such as not looking to borrow more.
Ultimately, the pricing and availability of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. As such, the Government cannot force lenders to lend to borrowers that sit outside of their risk appetite.
Any further work on this issue must consider the impact and practicality of solutions and their effects on the wider mortgage market, including the resilience of firms and fairness to other borrowers. There is no evidence, for instance, that consumers have experienced detriment that would be resolved by an extension of the regulatory perimeter. It is also worth noting that the Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) charged by inactive firms are in line with those paid by borrowers in the active market. The Government remains open to practical and proportionate solutions to help mortgage prisoners that do not pose unacceptable financial stability risks, and are not unfair to other borrowers in the mortgage market.
More broadly, the Government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living. That is why we have announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. We have also taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1,200 of support this year, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.
When mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, FCA guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government also offers support to borrowers through Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to homeowners in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts under the Mortgage Pre-Action Protocol.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of incorporating closed book mortgages into existing mortgage regulatory frameworks.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that there are 47,000 mortgage prisoners who might benefit from switching to a new mortgage deal but are considered too high risk to do so, despite being up to date with payments.
The review makes clear that the reason mortgage prisoners are unable to switch are varied and complex. As such, there is no silver bullet to address the circumstances of this entire population of mortgage holders without being unfair to other borrowers.
The Government has already worked with the FCA to implement changes to its mortgage lending rules, removing the regulatory barrier that prevented some mortgage prisoners, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. These rules should allow customers to switch to an active lender as long as they meet the lender’s risk appetite and certain criteria, such as not looking to borrow more.
Ultimately, the pricing and availability of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. As such, the Government cannot force lenders to lend to borrowers that sit outside of their risk appetite.
Any further work on this issue must consider the impact and practicality of solutions and their effects on the wider mortgage market, including the resilience of firms and fairness to other borrowers. There is no evidence, for instance, that consumers have experienced detriment that would be resolved by an extension of the regulatory perimeter. It is also worth noting that the Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) charged by inactive firms are in line with those paid by borrowers in the active market. The Government remains open to practical and proportionate solutions to help mortgage prisoners that do not pose unacceptable financial stability risks, and are not unfair to other borrowers in the mortgage market.
More broadly, the Government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living. That is why we have announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. We have also taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1,200 of support this year, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.
When mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, FCA guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government also offers support to borrowers through Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to homeowners in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts under the Mortgage Pre-Action Protocol.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits regulating interest-only mortgage lenders’ adjustment of variable rates.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that there are 47,000 mortgage prisoners who might benefit from switching to a new mortgage deal but are considered too high risk to do so, despite being up to date with payments.
The review makes clear that the reason mortgage prisoners are unable to switch are varied and complex. As such, there is no silver bullet to address the circumstances of this entire population of mortgage holders without being unfair to other borrowers.
The Government has already worked with the FCA to implement changes to its mortgage lending rules, removing the regulatory barrier that prevented some mortgage prisoners, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. These rules should allow customers to switch to an active lender as long as they meet the lender’s risk appetite and certain criteria, such as not looking to borrow more.
Ultimately, the pricing and availability of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. As such, the Government cannot force lenders to lend to borrowers that sit outside of their risk appetite.
Any further work on this issue must consider the impact and practicality of solutions and their effects on the wider mortgage market, including the resilience of firms and fairness to other borrowers. There is no evidence, for instance, that consumers have experienced detriment that would be resolved by an extension of the regulatory perimeter. It is also worth noting that the Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) charged by inactive firms are in line with those paid by borrowers in the active market. The Government remains open to practical and proportionate solutions to help mortgage prisoners that do not pose unacceptable financial stability risks, and are not unfair to other borrowers in the mortgage market.
More broadly, the Government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living. That is why we have announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. We have also taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1,200 of support this year, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.
When mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, FCA guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government also offers support to borrowers through Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to homeowners in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts under the Mortgage Pre-Action Protocol.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to introduce new measures to support mortgage prisoners in response to increases in the (a) base rate and (b) cost of living.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that there are 47,000 mortgage prisoners who might benefit from switching to a new mortgage deal but are considered too high risk to do so, despite being up to date with payments.
The review makes clear that the reason mortgage prisoners are unable to switch are varied and complex. As such, there is no silver bullet to address the circumstances of this entire population of mortgage holders without being unfair to other borrowers.
The Government has already worked with the FCA to implement changes to its mortgage lending rules, removing the regulatory barrier that prevented some mortgage prisoners, who otherwise may have been able to switch, from accessing new products. These rules should allow customers to switch to an active lender as long as they meet the lender’s risk appetite and certain criteria, such as not looking to borrow more.
Ultimately, the pricing and availability of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. As such, the Government cannot force lenders to lend to borrowers that sit outside of their risk appetite.
Any further work on this issue must consider the impact and practicality of solutions and their effects on the wider mortgage market, including the resilience of firms and fairness to other borrowers. There is no evidence, for instance, that consumers have experienced detriment that would be resolved by an extension of the regulatory perimeter. It is also worth noting that the Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) charged by inactive firms are in line with those paid by borrowers in the active market. The Government remains open to practical and proportionate solutions to help mortgage prisoners that do not pose unacceptable financial stability risks, and are not unfair to other borrowers in the mortgage market.
More broadly, the Government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living. That is why we have announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. We have also taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1,200 of support this year, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.
When mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, FCA guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government also offers support to borrowers through Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans to homeowners in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts under the Mortgage Pre-Action Protocol.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies towards mortgage prisoners of the report by the Financial Conduct Authority entitled Mortgage Prisoner Review, published on 29 November 2021, in the context of recent increases in mortgage interest rates.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that the population of mortgage prisoners is varied and complex. There is no single measure to address the circumstances of this population of mortgage holders.
Where mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, Financial Conduct Authority guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest 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 on cost-of-living support, the Government has taken immediate action to help households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This is in addition to the £37 billion of targeted support for the cost of living this financial year.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of increases in the cost of living on mortgage prisoners.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that the population of mortgage prisoners is varied and complex. There is no single measure to address the circumstances of this population of mortgage holders.
Where mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, Financial Conduct Authority guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest 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 on cost-of-living support, the Government has taken immediate action to help households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This is in addition to the £37 billion of targeted support for the cost of living this financial year.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the UK Mortgage Prisoners Support Group on the (a) depth and (b) severity of the situation people unable to move out of high interest loans are facing.
Answered by Richard Fuller
Ministers last met with UK Mortgage Prisoners earlier this year and exchange regular correspondence with them.
The Government has worked with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on interventions to help mortgage prisoners switch. Resources have also been put in place so that mortgage prisoners can understand their options better, including their ability to switch, and access guidance through MoneyHelper. These resources can be found online at: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/homes/buying-a-home/help-for-mortgage-prisoners.