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Mortgage arrears and repossession

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Video: Breathing space if you have mortgage arrears

Video transcript

Are you struggling to pay your mortgage, and worried about losing your home?

Have you got bills for things like energy, credit cards or council tax that you can’t pay?

The breathing space scheme could help you.

Breathing space does exactly what it says – it gives you space and time to get help with your money issues.

It can stop payment demands and prevent your lender from taking your home while you get debt advice and help.

You need to ask a debt adviser to get you on the breathing space scheme.

A debt advice charity like Stepchange, Citizens Advice or National Debtline can get you on to breathing space.

Once you’re on the scheme, the people you owe money to, like your mortgage lender, must stop asking for payments towards the arrears.

They have to freeze interest, fees and charges on the arrears, and put repossession action or bailiffs on hold.

Everyone has the right to a safe home. If you’re struggling, get help now.

A Shelter adviser explains how the breathing space scheme could help with debt and mortgage arrears.


How to prevent home repossession


If your lender takes you to court


After repossession


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Last updated: 1 May 2026

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