Over a quarter of Scottish people struggle to pay rent and mortgage in 2016

January 14, 2016 by Brendan O'Neill

Home owners

According to a survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of the charity Shelter Scotland, more than a quarter of people have concerns about paying their mortgage or rent in the new year.

The charity added that large numbers of people called every day to say that they felt “overwhelmed by mounting rent or mortgage bills”. Over 1,000 people were questioned during the survey, with 28% saying that they were worried about not being able to pay their mortgage or rent during 2016. One in ten had concerns about meeting their rent or mortgage payments in January. The group which were most concerned about meeting the payments were those aged 25 to 34, with 36% expressing a concern.

Some people had already started to try and find solutions to their problems, with around one third cutting back on clothing, fuel and other winter essentials to pay their bills. Savings were used by another 5%. According to Shelter Scotland, 81 households are classed as homeless each day and the number of calls to the charity’s helpline continues to rise. The head of policy for Shelter Scotland, Adam Lang, said:

“It’s a worrying sign of the times that so many people are starting the New Year worried about how they’ll pay for their rent or mortgage in 2016.”

Shelter Scotland has issued advice for people to call before problems become overwhelming. Obtaining advice prior to applying for a mortgage is also recommended, so that a CeMAP qualified adviser can help find the most suitable and affordable mortgage.