Shapps demands help for homeowners as repossessions rise

Grant Shapps has warned that Gordon Brown’s schemes to help homeowners are not working after new figures showed a large rise in repossessions.

Data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders revealed that repossessions rose by 50% in the first quarter of this year.

Grant, the Shadow Housing Minister, warned that the recession is “taking its toll” and stressed that Labour’s “headline-grabbing schemes are failing hard-working families”:

"3,000 families have asked for help under the £235m Mortgage Rescue Scheme and yet just one has received assistance; while Ministers have finally launched their Homeowner Support Scheme - 4 months after announcing it - but just 50% of lenders are actually supporting it.”

Grant said, "It's time Gordon Brown concentrated on providing real support for those struggling as a result of his bust rather than trying to grab column inches."