On 17 March, mortgage lenders announced they would support customers facing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 crisis. Three weeks later, by Wednesday 8 April, over 1.2 million mortgage borrowers had been offered a payment holiday by their lender.

The action taken by lenders means that one in nine mortgages in the UK are now subject to a payment holiday, helping households across the country through this difficult time. For the average mortgage holder, the payment holiday amounts to £260 per month of suspended interest payments, with many benefitting from the option of extending the scheme for up to three months.

The number of mortgage payment holidays in place more than tripled in the two weeks between 25 March and 8 April, growing from 392,130 to 1,240,680. This is an increase of nearly 850,000 or an average of around 61,000 payment holidays being granted by lenders each day.

Stephen Jones, UK Finance CEO, said: “Mortgage lenders have been working tirelessly to help homeowners get through this challenging period. The industry has pulled out all the stops in recent weeks to give an unprecedented number of customers a payment holiday, and we stand ready to help more over the coming months.

“We understand that the current crisis is having a significant impact on household finances for people across the country. Lenders have a number of options available to help, and payment holidays aren’t always the right solution for everyone. We would therefore encourage any mortgage customers concerned about their financial situation to check with their lender so they can find out more information on the support available and how to apply.”

Robin Fieth, Building Societies Association CEO, added: “We know that this is a difficult time for many homeowners with a mortgage and building society staff have been working hard to offer individuals the right solution. For almost quarter of a million so far, that has been a three month payment holiday offering a much needed breathing space to families whose household income is under severe pressure during the current crisis.”

Mortgage borrowers whose financial situation has been affected by COVID-19 are advised to contact their lender to discuss whether they are eligible for a mortgage holiday and if it is the best option for them. A payment holiday may not be the right choice for everyone, and customers should only apply if they need one.

Those requiring a mortgage payment holiday will need to self-certify that their income has been either directly or indirectly impacted by the coronavirus.

Telephone lines remain extremely busy so customers who are concerned about making their mortgage payments are advised to look at their lender’s website in the first instance, which will include the latest information on the support available and should be able to answer many queries.

Many lenders are offering customers the option to apply for a mortgage payment holiday through an online form on their website.

Lenders are also urging mortgage holders not to cancel their direct debits before a payment holiday has been agreed, as this will be counted as a missed payment and could impact their credit file.

Read all of our articles relating to COVID-19 here.