What should I do first if I can't pay my mortgage?

Contact your lender as early as possible — don't wait for them to chase you. Under the Mortgage Charter and FCA rules, lenders must treat you fairly and help you find a way to pay, and simply asking for support or discussing your options will not affect your credit score. The earlier you talk to them, the more help they can offer. They'll normally write to you within about 15 days of a missed payment, but you should call before then if you can.

Will asking for help hurt my credit score?

Asking your lender for support and discussing your options will not affect your credit score. What does damage your credit file is actually missing payments and falling into arrears, which is exactly what early engagement helps you avoid. So there's no downside to picking up the phone — and a lot to lose by burying your head and missing payments while you wait.

← Back to Sorted Housing & money · UK guide · 2026

Struggling with your mortgage? Don’t panic — and don’t ignore it.

Q: What options can my lender offer?

It depends on your situation. If you're worried but not yet behind, you can ask to extend your mortgage term (and switch back within six months), move to interest-only payments for six months, or take a payment arrangement such as a payment holiday. If you're already in arrears, options include changing when you pay, adding the arrears to your balance ('capitalising' them), reducing your payments for a short period, or repaying over a longer term. Your lender must consider any reasonable request.

Q: Can my home be repossessed straight away?

No — repossession is a last resort and there are strong protections. Under the Mortgage Charter you won't be forced from your home within 12 months of your first missed payment. Your lender must follow FCA rules and a court 'pre-action protocol', which means trying every reasonable alternative first and only going to court as a final step. Even then, a court can suspend a possession order if you can show you'll pay the arrears over a reasonable time. Never ignore court papers.

Q: Where can I get free help?

Free, impartial help is available from MoneyHelper (government-backed money guidance), and from debt charities StepChange (0800 138 1111), National Debtline (0808 808 4000) and Citizens Advice. They can talk to your lender for you, check whether you're owed any benefits (like Support for Mortgage Interest, Universal Credit or Council Tax Reduction), and help you build a budget and a plan. A mortgage is a priority debt, so deal with it before non-priority debts like credit cards.

Last verified 15 Jun 2026 · Source GOV.UK + MoneyHelper + FCA · Information, not financial advice · Publisher: SortedUK Ltd (filed 5 Jun 2026)

Falling behind on your mortgage is frightening — but you have real protections, and repossession is a last resort, not a first move. Your lender has to treat you fairly, there are several ways to make your payments manageable, and just asking for help won’t hurt your credit score. The single most important thing is to act early. Here’s exactly what to do.

Talk earlyContact your lender first

No credit hitFor asking for help

12 monthsNo forced repossession from 1st miss

Last resortRepossession only

What to do first Free debt help

The first — and most important — step

Contact your lender as early as you can, ideally before you miss a payment. Under the Mortgage Charter and FCA rules, lenders must treat you fairly and help you find a way to pay.

Asking for help won’t hurt your credit score Simply talking to your lender about your options does not affect your credit score. What does damage your credit file is missing payments — which is exactly what acting early helps you avoid. There’s no downside to picking up the phone, and a lot to lose by waiting.

Your lender will normally write within about 15 days of a missed payment, but call before then if you can. A mortgage is a priority debt — deal with it before non-priority debts like credit cards. See which debt to pay first.

Your options

If you’re worried but up to date	If you’re already in arrears
Extend your term (and switch back within 6 months)	Change when you pay each month
Interest-only payments for 6 months	Add the arrears to your balance (“capitalising”)
A payment arrangement or payment holiday	Reduce payments for a short period, or extend the term

Your lender must consider any reasonable request you make to change how or when you pay. Get the agreement in writing.

Repossession is a last resort

Lenders can’t simply take your home — there are strong protections:

Under the Mortgage Charter, you won’t be forced from your home within 12 months of your first missed payment.
Your lender must follow a court “pre-action protocol” — trying every reasonable alternative first, and only going to court as a final step.
Even at court, a judge can suspend a possession order if you show you’ll pay the arrears over a reasonable time.

Never ignore court papers If it does reach court, go to the hearing (or get advice and representation) — turning up, with a realistic offer, is often what keeps people in their home. Ignoring it is the worst thing you can do.

Get free help — and check what you’re owed

You don’t have to face this alone, and you should never pay for help that’s free:

Do this now

Call your lender, then get free, impartial advice — MoneyHelper, StepChange 0800 138 1111, National Debtline 0808 808 4000 or Citizens Advice. They can talk to your lender for you and build a plan.

Then check what you might be owed: Support for Mortgage Interest (a loan towards the interest), Universal Credit and other benefits, and Council Tax Reduction. If you’re in crisis, get urgent help.

Source verification

Primary sourceGOV.UK — Mortgage Charter; MoneyHelper — Help with mortgage payments; FCA mortgage arrears rules (MCOB 13); Citizens Advice

Specific URLmoneyhelper.org.uk — help if you can't pay your mortgage

Last verified15 June 2026 (the Mortgage Charter forbearance options, the no-credit-score-impact for asking, the 12-month no-forced-repossession protection, FCA fair-treatment rules and repossession-as-last-resort web-checked against GOV.UK + MoneyHelper + FCA)

ConfidenceHigh — Mortgage Charter lenders (~90% of the market) offer forbearance such as term extension (revertible within 6 months), 6-month interest-only and payment arrangements; arrears options include capitalising, reduced payments and term extension; asking for support does not affect the credit score; the Charter protects against forced repossession within 12 months of a first missed payment; FCA rules (mortgages from 31 Oct 2004) require fair treatment and reasonable arrangements; a court pre-action protocol makes repossession a genuine last resort, and a judge can suspend a possession order.

Key factscontact lender early (won't hit credit score) · Charter options: extend term / interest-only 6 mths / payment arrangement · arrears: capitalise / reduce / extend · FCA fair-treatment duty + reasonable requests · no forced repossession within 12 months of 1st missed payment · pre-action protocol → repossession last resort, court can suspend order · mortgage = priority debt · free help: MoneyHelper / StepChange / National Debtline / Citizens Advice · check SMI / UC / Council Tax Reduction

ScopeUK-wide (FCA-regulated mortgages). Information, not financial advice — get free help from MoneyHelper and the debt charities, and speak to your lender.

Mortgage arrears — common questions

What should I do first?

Contact your lender as early as you can — don't wait to be chased. They must treat you fairly under the Mortgage Charter and FCA rules, and simply asking for help won't affect your credit score. The earlier you talk to them, the more they can do.

What options can my lender offer?

If you're worried but up to date: extend the term (revert within 6 months), interest-only for 6 months, or a payment arrangement. If you're in arrears: change when you pay, capitalise the arrears, reduce payments short-term, or extend the term. They must consider any reasonable request — get it in writing.

Can my home be repossessed straight away?

No — it's a last resort. The Charter protects you from forced repossession within 12 months of your first missed payment, the lender must try alternatives first under a court pre-action protocol, and even at court a judge can suspend a possession order if you'll pay the arrears over time. Never ignore court papers — attend the hearing.

Will asking for help hurt my credit?

No — discussing your options with your lender won't affect your credit score. Missing payments is what damages your credit file, and early engagement helps you avoid that. There's no downside to asking.

Where can I get free help?

MoneyHelper, StepChange (0800 138 1111), National Debtline (0808 808 4000) and Citizens Advice — all free. They can speak to your lender for you and check benefits like Support for Mortgage Interest, Universal Credit and Council Tax Reduction. A mortgage is a priority debt, so tackle it first.

Sources The Mortgage Charter forbearance options, the no-credit-impact of asking, the 12-month repossession protection and the fair-treatment rules · GOV.UK — Mortgage Charter and MoneyHelper — Help if you can't pay your mortgage. Dealing with arrears and repossession · Citizens Advice. SortedUK is not a regulated adviser and this is general information — get free help from MoneyHelper or a debt charity. Last reviewed: 15 June 2026.

Your safest next step today

Pick up the phone — early beats everything.

Call your lender, then get free debt advice and check the benefits you may be owed. Asking for help won’t hurt your credit — silence will.

Free debt help Support for Mortgage Interest In crisis? Get help now

Sourced to GOV.UK · MoneyHelper · FCA · 45+ UK official bodies

Your home is worth one phone call.

Repossession is a last resort with strong protections — but they only work if you act. Talk to your lender, get free advice, and claim what you’re owed.

Get free debt help