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Written question asked by Kim Leadbeater (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 July 2026. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Monday, 20 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Universal Credit: Children

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support available to homeowners with children who are claiming Universal Credit, in the context of the difference between non‑repayable housing support for renters and loan‑based Support for Mortgage Interest for homeowners.

Answer

The situations of homeowners and renters are not directly comparable. If a tenant does not pay their rent, they face the real possibility of eviction. Homeowners have more flexibility to negotiate repayments with their lenders during periods of financial difficulty, and their mortgage payments allow them to acquire a significant asset.

The help homeowners, with or without children, can receive towards their mortgage payments is designed to provide a level of support that protects them from the threat of repossession. We have broad agreement with the lending industry that the support we provide is sufficient to achieve this aim.

The department has recently published research looking at the impact and effectiveness of Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans. This is available here: Impact Assessment of Support for Mortgage Interest loans and was published on 6th May 2025.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
14457
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Children Interest rates Mortgages Universal credit Rented housing
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk