Balanced News: Mortgage struggles rise as interest rates climb

As interest rates in Australia have increased, more homeowners are struggling with mortgage repayments. The Australian Banking Association is urging borrowers to seek assistance from their banks instead of toughing it out alone. While most customers are keeping up with repayments, the number of households falling behind on mortgage payments has increased in every state and territory. Economic analysts predict that this trend will continue as more people transition from low fixed rates to higher variable rates. Credit bureau Equifax reports a 33% rise in mortgage repayment arrears compared to last year, and market research company Roy Morgan estimates that 1.57 million Australians are at risk of mortgage stress.