As the global economic crisis forces up the jobless rate, new figures from the Justice Department show lenders lodged 176 claims to repossess homes or businesses in the state's courts during April.

A Justice spokesman has confirmed it is the highest monthly total since records began, about 1992, The Courier-Mail reports.

Queensland Council of Social Service president Karyn Walsh said the spike in repossession claims – despite interest rate falls – was a worrying consequence of rising unemployment.

She called on the Government to offer more emergency assistance to home owners falling behind on their mortgage payments after losing a job.

The four major banks and other lenders recently agreed to consider deferring mortgage repayments for loans of up to $500,000 when a customer loses a job or falls seriously ill. Other lenders will have to give similar consideration in hardship cases under new laws.

But the Queensland Justice Department figures confirm repossession claims have been climbing steadily for the past 18 months. In 2008, a record 1362 claims were filed against home and business owners.

More than 600 claims were filed between January and April alone – a figure many experts regard as the tip of the iceberg as most home repossessions never make it to court.

One affected home buyer, retrenched IT worker Russell Exley, yesterday appealed to lenders to show more leniency.

Mr Exley lost his job two months ago, about the same time his wife's work hours were cut.

Although he now has a job and has organised the release of superannuation funds to cover missed mortgage payments, his non-bank lender had started action to repossess the family's Brisbane home.

The Australian Bankers Association chief executive David Bell urged anyone who could not meet a loan repayment to contact their lender as soon as possible.