Home Owners: Helping you to keep your home and where to get advice

If you have lost your job and are now claiming either Income Support, income-based Jobseekers' Allowance, the guarantee part of the Pension Credit, or income-related Employment and Support Allowance you may be eligible to have your mortgage interest paid by the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP). 

Even if you are not claiming one of these benefits right now you might still be eligible for help - so it's worth asking a free money advisor to check your entitlement.

For claims before 1 April 2009 most people had to wait 39 weeks before the DWP would help with housing costs. However, from 1 April 2009 that waiting period was reduced to 13 weeks for most claimants, and help is now available for mortgages up to £200,000.

The DWP will only pay the mortgage interest part of your mortgage(s). This should not be a problem in the short term but in the medium to longer term you will need to make arrangements to repay the capital element of your loan when the mortgage comes to an end.

If you are in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance, help with housing costs is limited to 104 weeks.

Importantly, the onus is on you to make a claim for help with housing costs - and you can get free help to do so from one of the agencies listed at the end of this leaflet.