Benefits and prison
Support for Mortgage Interest
Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) is no longer a benefit. It鈥檚 now only available as a loan.
You cannot get an SMI loan if you鈥檙e serving a prison sentence but your partner might be able to claim instead.
Your partner鈥檚 name may not have to be on the mortgage to be able to claim.
Getting an SMI loan while on remand
If you鈥檙e single and on remand, you may be able to continue getting SMI loan payments if you meet the eligibility conditions.
You cannot get an SMI loan or Income Support if you鈥檙e part of a couple and on remand, but your partner can claim benefit and housing costs.
Eligibility
If you鈥檙e on remand, you must be getting Pension Credit or Income Support to get an SMI loan.
You鈥檒l need to apply for one of these benefits if you鈥檝e previously qualified for SMI by getting Income-based Job Seeker鈥檚 Allowance or Employment and Support allowance.
You鈥檒l only be able to get SMI loan payments - you will not be paid Pension Credit or Income Support.
If you get Income Support and have accepted an offer of an SMI loan, you can only get loan payments after you鈥檝e been receiving the benefit for 39 consecutive weeks.