Abhaile service supports over 32,000 people with mortgage arrears
- Published on: 3 September 2025
- Last updated on: 3 September 2025
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Mr Jim O'Callaghan TD and Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD have today published the 2024 Annual Report of Abhaile – the national mortgage arrears resolution service.
Since its establishment in 2016, Abhaile has been providing free financial and legal advice to borrowers, ensuring that services tailored to individual circumstances are available to those who need them. Abhaile supports borrowers to put in place solutions to resolve their mortgage arrears, solutions that keep borrowers in their homes.
Abhaile further supports these borrowers by raising awareness of the advice and support services, including through national media campaigns.
Welcoming the report, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan commented:
“This report underlines the real and tangible difference Abhaile is making to the lives of people and families across Ireland every day. The Government is committed to supporting the delivery of these services which include free of charge access to expert debt, insolvency, and financial services, and free legal advice to those who need help resolving mortgage difficulties.”
Commenting today, Minister Dara Calleary said:
“This Report highlights the impact of the Abhaile service and the contribution of the dedicated staff of the organisations who deliver these important services, day in day out. I would urge any person experiencing mortgage difficulties, or at risk of entering arrears, to contact Abhaile, through MABS, who will support you to find a solution. Help is available, so please reach out.”
This report highlights how the Abhaile service has supported over 32,000 borrowers, comprising over 28,052 households, since its establishment in 2016 to the end of 2024.
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) dedicated mortgage advisory service accounted for 16,024 borrowers, while the Personal Insolvency Practitioner service supported 16,046 borrowers. Of the 16,046 borrowers who received advice from a Personal Insolvency Practitioner, 37% had a solution in place, while 37% were receiving support in moving towards a solution.
In 2024 alone, 2,083 borrowers who were seeking assistance for the first time received financial advice and assistance from a dedicated mortgage arrears adviser. Some 1,958 vouchers for assistance from a Personal Insolvency Practitioner were issued, and 555 vouchers were issued for a consultation with a solicitor to provide legal support.
The service is funded and overseen by the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. A range of organisations deliver the Abhaile service, including the Citizens Information Board, MABS, the Insolvency Service of Ireland, the Legal Aid Board and the Courts Service.
The extension of Abhaile by Government until the end of 2027 ensures the continuation of its vital services. The introduction of enhancements in 2024, including allowing borrowers to apply for a second round of financial and legal vouchers, ensures Abhaile will continue to support those who face mortgage arrears.
The Annual report is available here: Abhaile Annual Report 2024
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Abhaile – the National Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service is overseen and funded by the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
- The service provides free financial and legal advice to borrowers and aims to put in place solutions to their arrears that will keep them in their homes.
- The service was established initially in 2016 for a three-year period. In September 2019, the Government approved a three-year extension of Abhaile, followed by a one-year extension in November 2022, with a further four-year extension made in July 2023, to the end of 2027. This includes extension of the MABS Dedicated Mortgage Arrears (DMA) service.
- Since 2016 to the end of 2024, Abhaile assisted 32,070 borrowers, comprising 28,052 households.
- Of these 32,070 borrowers, the MABS DMA service accounted for 16,024 borrowers, while the Personal Insolvency Practitioner service accounted for 16,046 borrowers. Of the 16,046 borrowers, 37% had a solution in place, 37% were in progress to a solution, 1% concluded without a solution, 1% were on hold, 4% were referred to MABS, while 20% were not engaging.
- In 2024 2,083 new borrowers received financial advice and assistance from a Dedicated Mortgage Arrears (DMA) adviser.
- In 2024 1,958 vouchers were issued for assistance from a Personal Insolvency Practitioner, and 555 vouchers were issued for a consultation with a solicitor.
- In 2024 2,983 unrepresented borrowers were supported by Court Mentors at 354 possession hearings.
- In 2024 1,340 unrepresented borrowers received support from Duty Solicitors at 399 possession hearings.
- While mortgage arrears have reduced significantly, at the end of 2024, over 14,800 accounts were in arrears of more than two years, the target group for Abhaile. Over half of these were in arrears of greater than five years.
- Abhaile continues to support these borrowers by raising awareness of supports available, including through national media campaigns, and providing services tailored to individual circumstances.
- The implementation of the recommendations arising from the Strategic and Governance Reviews of Abhaile will also aid in supporting these borrowers, notably the introduction in 2024 of the opportunity to apply for a ‘second round’ of services after a period of three years has lapsed from the first time a borrower used the service.
- Information on Abhaile is available at https://www.mabs.ie/en/abhaile and Abhaile.
