It has been announced today that the Abhaile Scheme will be extended for another four years.
The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, and the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, have revealed the scheme, which was set up to support families in mortgage arrears, will stay in place until 2027.
The service has helped families who were in serious or long-term mortgage arrears who were at risk of losing their homes.
The scheme was first set up in 2016 and has supported 26,400 families since with the help of financial and legal advice from experts. Of this number, 85% found a solution or are close to finding one.
Extending the Abhaile scheme also means the work of the MABS Dedicated Mortgage Arrears service will be extended.
Speaking about the news today, Minister Humphreys stated, “I know from my days working in a Credit Union the stress placed on households who find themselves struggling to meet their mortgage repayments”.
“The prospect of losing your home can be a deeply traumatic experience for the entire family”.
Humphreys continued, “Given the current interest rate increases and the cost-of-living pressures that people are under, Minister McEntee and I felt it was only right to extend the Abhaile service for a further four-year period”.
“In addition, this extension is supported by a recently completed independent review which recommends Abhaile continue, and by the commitment in the current Programme for Government to continue to fund Abhaile”.
The Minister closed off by adding, “I want to take this opportunity to thank the staff in the Abhaile Service for their hard work and commitment".
