Affording your home
Whether you rent or own your home, support is available if you are struggling with housing costs. It is important to act as quickly as possible to prevent the situation from getting worse.
If you are at risk of losing your home, please contact us as soon as possible for advice and assistance on 0300 123 4 000, option 3, or complete our online form and someone will contact you within two working days.
Home Owners
If you are falling behind with your mortgage payments, contact your mortgage lender as soon as possible to explain your situation and agree a repayment plan.
You should also get advice from trusted organisations if you are struggling to afford your mortgage payments:
- Dealing with mortgage arrears - Citizens Advice
- Mortgage arrears or problems paying your mortgage
- How to deal with mortgage arrears - Shelter England
If you are on a low income you may be able to get a loan from the Department of Work and Pensions to help with the cost of mortgage interest payments, called Support for Mortgage Interest. It is important to get advice to check whether Support for Mortgage Interest is the right option for you, the Citizens Advice website has lots of information on things to consider before applying.
Private rented accommodation
If you are falling behind with your rent, contact your landlord or mortgage lender as soon as possible to explain your situation and agree a repayment plan. Ensure any payments are affordable and do not offer to pay more than you can realistically afford.
You should also get advice from trusted organisations if you struggling to afford your mortgage payments:
- Help with rent arrears and problems with paying your rent (Money Helper)
- How to deal with rent arrears (Shelter England)
If you are already in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Element, and are struggling to afford your rent, you may be able to apply for a Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) Housing Payment.
View eligibility and apply for CRF Housing Payment
If you are not eligible for a Housing Payment or have had your application declined, you may still be able to get help with your rent through Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) Help with Housing Costs.
Council and social tenants
If you rent your home from Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, speak to your housing officer or our Tenancy Sustainment Team to discuss what support is available. If you are unsure of their contact details, speak to our customer services team who will get you to the right place.
If your landlord is a housing association or charitable trust, contact them directly to find out what help is available, they may be able to refer you for extra support to check your income and manage repayments.
Managing your money and checking your eligibility for grants or benefits
For ways to increase your income, how to help your money go further and where to get further advice, view our Cost of Living information.
If you’d rather speak to someone, Citizens Advice can help you check what support you are eligible for and help you to apply.