Research and analysis

Support for Mortgage Interest: attitudes towards taking the support as a loan

This report examines attitudes towards the changes to Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) from a benefit to a state-backed loan.

Documents

Public attitudes towards taking up Support for Mortgage Interest as a loan

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Summary: Public attitudes towards taking up Support for Mortgage Interest as a loan

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Details

Following the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement in the Summer Budget 2015 that SMI will be converted from a benefit to a state-backed loan, this research was commissioned to:

  • assess the proportion of the public potentially eligible for SMI
  • investigate awareness of SMI
  • gauge reactions to the proposed changes to its administration

The findings will help to understand likely take up of SMI as a loan and help ensure that advice for SMI loans can be tailored.

This research provides strong support for the change to SMI as a loan.

Authors: Stephen Finlay, Jane Stevens and Luke Daxon (Ipsos MORI).

Support for Mortgage Interest: mortgage borrowing and claiming in retirement has been published alongside this report to stimulate discussion with key stakeholders to deliver SMI loans.

Updates to this page

Published 1 August 2017

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