Can I get help with my mortgage payments?

If you’re a homeowner, you might be able to get help towards interest payments on:

  • your mortgage (interest - not the amount you borrowed)
  • loans you’ve taken out for certain repairs and improvements to your home

This help is called Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI).

It’s paid as a loan, which you’ll need to repay with interest when you sell or transfer ownership of your home (unless you’re moving the loan to another property).

You usually need to be getting, or treated as getting, a qualifying benefit to get SMI. Eligible benefits used to include income Support, income based job seekers allowance, income related employment and support allowance, (legacy benefits) and continues to inculde universal credit and pension credit. Contact the office that pays your benefit to find out if you could get an SMI loan. 

If you qualify for Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI), you’ll usually get help paying the interest on up to £200,000 of your loan or mortgage.

SMI is normally paid direct to your lender.

SMI is paid as a loan. The money will need to be repiad with interest when the property is sold or where ownership has been transferred (unless you’re moving the loan to another property).

The interest added to the loan can go up or down, but the rate will not change more than twice a year. The loan can be paid more quickly if you are able, by making voluntary repayments.

Further information on SMI can be found on the GOV.uk website.

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