People using their credit cards for mortgage payments need to seek financial help, according to the Homeowners Advice Centre.

A recent report by Shelter showed that six per cent of people asked had used a credit card to pay their mortgage or rent last year. This would equate to a national figure of around one million.

Chris Jenkins, co-owner of the Homeowners Advice Centre, believes that resorting to credit cards only leads to further problems.

He said that anyone resorting to these measures should seek help, adding that it will only lead to missed payments that may lead to people losing their home or bankruptcy .

Recent Financial Services Authority figures showed that the number of repossessions was down five per cent in the third quarter of 2009 compared to the beginning of the year.

At the same time the number of new arrears cases also fell by ten per cent compared to the previous quarter.