Vast differences in the cost of long-term care for the elderly have been revealed by research from Saga. Fees vary by almost 50 per cent across the UK and typically cost three times more than the average annual mortgage payment. Northern Ireland is the cheapest region for residential and nursing care, while the Home Counties
The Tenant Services Authority has announced that the housing association sector turnover was more than £10 billion for the first time in 2008. Turnover was up by 10.7 per cent and the value of housing association properties was up 10 per cent, as construction of new homes and the transfer of homes from local authorities
The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, has warned that the nation faces a ‘long hard slogâ to recovery, criticised the government for running too high a level of borrowing as the nation entered the present crisis, and called on the Chancellor to produce a ‘credible statementâ of how he plans to get
The Bank of England announced yesterday that it would provide £10 billion in emergency funds to the UK’s commercial banks in an attempt to prevent a worsening of the credit crunch over the Christmas period. Bank governor Mervyn King said current fragility meant further action might be needed in coming weeks, and he forecast a
Energy efficiency and environmental standards are becoming an important factor for buyers of new-built homes, a survey for New Homes Marketing Board has found. The ‘green factor’ is now one of the top three criteria for people buying a new house, overtaking traditional benefits such as location and value for money. Top of the list
New research for the DCLG into loans for vulnerable home owners concludes there is room for expansion if more choices are developed. Councils will be allowed to build and deliver their own housing under a plan to be put to the Labour party conference in the autumn, reports Inside Housing. The compromise plan follows conference
Speaking to the Observer, Gordon Brown said the Financial Services Authority (FSA) would consider controls on mortgage of more than 100 per cent of a home’s value, and on high multiple mortgages, offering loans of up to six times an applicant’s salary. He said more caution in the mortgage market would reduce chances of a
Mortgage lending has fallen sharply, with approvals for house purchases 60 per cent lower than a year ago. The number of approvals fell by 14 per cent in November to a new low of 17,773, according to figures from the British Bankers’ Association. The number of people re-mortgaging but staying in their existing home also
A new survey from insurer Scottish Widows shows that graduates are finding it increasingly difficult to get on the housing ladder. Nearly 60 per cent of people who have graduated in the past 10 years have been unable to buy their own home. Following the announcement two days ago that US housing sales suffered their
The Liberal Democrats are backing a zero-carbon Britain. In an announcement made on the opening day of the conference, the Lib-Dems have positioned themselves as the first political party to ‘tackle global emissions from every part of our economy: from transport, electricity generation, housing, offices and factories’. Among the proposals, the Lib-Dems plan to include