More people in Cornwall were at risk of losing their house after there was a rise in mortgage repossession claims last year, new figures show.

It comes as the number of households across England and Wales receiving government support with their mortgage repayments soared.

A charity warned the rise in mortgage arrears was "alarming", with mortgage debts soaring over recent years.

Latest figures from the Ministry of Justice show there were 162 repossession claims lodged in Cornwall in the year to September – up from 107 in 2022-23.

Meanwhile, 21,440 repossession claims were submitted across England and Wales – up from 15,377 the year before, and the highest figure since 2019.

Separate figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show there has been an increase in the number of households receiving financial help through the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme.

The SMI is a government programme available to households with a mortgage, where at least one member is in receipt of certain benefits.

It provides an interest-bearing loan, designed to contribute towards interest payments on the claimant's mortgage, and certain home loans.

In the three months to August, the latest period for which there is data, 1,338 households in the South West received financial support to pay their mortgage.

This was up by 16% on the same period in the previous year, when there were 1,153.

Across England and Wales, 13,090 households were receiving support, a 15% increase on the year before, and the highest figure since 2021.

Debt relief charity StepChange said the mortgage arrears of the average client has trebled over the last five years, from £2,977 in 2019, to £8,986 in 2024.

Simon Trevethick said: "As headline stats around inflation and interest rates have been steadily decreasing over the past couple of years, much of the attention has turned away from the cost-of-living pressures people face.

"But across the country, rising mortgage arrears and an increased risk of repossession activity is alarming and is something we have seen replicated in our client data"

He added: "For anyone struggling with ongoing mortgage payments or worried about debt – don’t hesitate to reach out to your creditors and ask for help."

A Government spokesperson said: "No person should be in poverty. That’s why the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme is available, we’ve extended the Household Support Fund again and are giving an extra £233 million to councils directly for homelessness, including the largest-ever investment in prevention services, taking the total to nearly £1 billion for 2025-26.

"SMI enables people to stay in their homes without fear of repossession by contributing towards the interest on their mortgages, but we’d encourage anyone struggling with their mortgage to speak to their lender as soon as possible about support."