18,200 get help to meet mortgage repayments

MORE than 18,200 struggling mortgage holders are receiving an emergency short-term payment from the Department of Social Protection to help with mortgage repayments.

So far this year the scheme’s cost is just over €21 million and the estimated total cost for 2011 is €77.2m.

The purpose of the Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme (MIS) is to provide short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the mortgage repayments only and is administered by community welfare officers under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.