§ Baroness Gould of Potternewtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What assistance is available to (a) midwives; and (b) other key workers with regard to housing in (i) Manchester; and (ii) elsewhere in England. [HL2775]
§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)In 2003–04, £21.4 million was allocated through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme to provide homes for rent and low cost home ownership in Manchester for people in housing need generally, rather than key workers in particular.
In addition, the £69 million key worker living programme is helping key workers, including midwives, into home ownership and intermediate rented accommodation in London, the south-east and the eastern regions where the high cost of housing is contributing to difficulties in recruiting and retaining skilled staff in key public services.
The assistance available under the programme is:
- (a) equity loans of up to £50,000 to buy a home on the open market or a newly-built property provided by a registered social landlord;
- (b) shared ownership of newly built properties where a share of the property is purchased and a reduced rent is paid on the remaining share;
- (c) intermediate renting of newly built properties where the rent is set at a level below market rents;
- (d) equity loans of up to £100,000 for some school teachers in London with the potential to become leaders of London's education sector in the future.
Key workers are also being assisted through the Housing Corporation's Challenge Fund scheme in London, the south-east and eastern regions which is providing newly built homes for rent and home ownership.
These programmes are in addition to any accommodation provided by employers for their staff.