RECORD-BREAKING amounts of Barnsley homeowners had their properties repossessed last year having failed to meet soaring mortgage payments, shocking new figures have revealed.
Latest figures from the Ministry of Justice show there were 81 repossession claims lodged in Barnsley in the year to September, up from 66 the year before - the highest in more than a decade.
Separate figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show there has also been an increase in the number of households receiving financial help through the government’s Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) scheme.
It provides an interest-bearing loan, designed to contribute towards interest payments on the claimant’s mortgage and certain home loans.
Debt relief charity Step Change said the mortgage arrears of the average client has trebled over the last five years, from £2,977 in 2019 to £8,986 in 2024.
Spokesperson Simon Trevethick said: “As headline stats around inflation and interest rates have been steadily decreasing over the past couple of years, much of the attention has turned away from the cost-of-living pressures people still face.
“Rising mortgage arrears and an increased risk of repossession activity is alarming and is something we have seen replicated in our client data.
“For anyone struggling with ongoing mortgage payments or worried about debt, don’t hesitate to reach out to your creditors and ask for help.”
In the Barnsley South constituency - one of the poorest in the town - people are regularly falling behind on their mortgage and rent payments due to the rise in rates according to its MP, Stephanie Peacock.
Analysis revealed mortgages in the area - which includes places such Brierley, Cudworth, Grimethorpe, Shafton and Wombwell - have increased by about £1,500 a year.
“The cost-of-living has increased and there are effects being felt across the world, however there is no other country feeling the effects as we are in the UK.
“Many people in Barnsley have been struggling and one of the greatest household outgoings is a mortgage payment.
“People have already been making sacrifices to their budgets where they can - from pensioners cutting down on essentials to parents giving up meals so their children can eat.
“The Conservatives lost control of the economy and working people were left to pay the price.
“People in Barnsley should not have to shoulder the burden of the previous government’s mistakes.”
A government spokesperson said increased funding support is in place for households who are struggling.
“The Support for Mortgage Interest scheme is available, we’ve extended the Household Support Fund again and are giving an extra £233m to councils directly for homelessness, including the largest-ever investment in prevention services, taking the total to nearly £1bn for 2025-26.
“SMI enables people to stay in their homes without fear of repossession by contributing towards the interest on their mortgages, but we’d encourage anyone struggling with their mortgage to speak to their lender as soon as possible about support.”
