(CLG) New homeowners mortgage support begins

New support to help homeowners remain in their homes if they fall on difficult times will be available from today, announced Housing Minister Margaret Beckett.

Homeowners Mortgage Support (HMS) will enable eligible borrowers who suffer a temporary loss of income to cut their mortgage interest payments for up to two years to help them get back on track with their finances.

This new support will be available throughout the UK and builds on a range of measures the Government has already put in place to ensure that repossession is always a last resort.

From today, the following major high street lenders will offer their customers HMS: Lloyds Bank Group (which includes Halifax and Bank of Scotland), Northern Rock, the Royal Bank of Scotland (which includes NatWest and Ulster Bank), Bradford and Bingley, Cumberland Building Society, and the National Australia Bank Group (which includes Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank).

A number of other banks, building societies and specialist lenders have also confirmed today that they will offer their customers HMS as soon as possible. These are Bank of Ireland (which includes Bristol and West), GMAC, GE Money, Kensington Mortgages, the Post Office and Standard Life Bank.

Lenders offering HMS will have the security of a Government guarantee if the borrower defaults.

At the same time, four other high street lenders, Barclays (including First Plus), HSBC, Nationwide and Santander (including Abbey and Alliance and Leicester) have all confirmed today they will offer comparable arrangements to HMS to their customers, while opting not to take up the Government guarantee. Customers of these institutions experiencing a reduction in income and willing to make regular monthly payments will receive a similar level of support and be encouraged to seek independent money advice.

As a result of today's announcement, lenders covering more than 80 per cent of the mortgage market will now be providing enhanced support to their customers. Borrowers will receive independent money advice as part of these changes to help them make the right decisions for their circumstances.

Margaret Beckett said:

"We know that many families are worried about how to pay the mortgage right now, and we're determined to ensure there is real help available for them.

"Today's news is a result of excellent co-operation between Government, lenders, and money advice services.

"On top of the range of measures we've already put in place, this new support will help borrowers who just need a bit more time to get themselves back on their feet.

"The clear message to borrowers is to contact your lender straight away if you're concerned about how to pay the mortgage as often a solution can be found."

The Government will continue to work with smaller lenders to encourage as many as possible to offer HMS or comparable arrangements for their customers in the future. HMS does not provide consumers with a payment holiday. The mortgage interest payments that have been deferred will eventually have to be paid back.

The enhanced support agreed by lenders today will be underpinned by FSA regulation and the Financial Services Ombudsman to ensure customers are treated fairly.

Since the autumn, the Government has put in place a range of measures to give more protection to households at risk of repossession. This includes a new pre-court action protocol for all the main high street lenders, quicker and more extensive support to home owners who have lost their job, a scheme to enable the most vulnerable home owners to stay in their homes, and a major extension of free debt and legal advice.

Statistics released today show that, on average, each month more than 2,800 people in England and Wales at risk of losing their home benefit from free, immediate legal advice and representation in Court, thanks to the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme, run by the Legal Services Commission.

Duty advisers are available on days when repossession cases are heard and are available to anyone, regardless of their income, who has a hearing listed on that day. Almost 34,000 people across England and Wales used this service last year, an increase of more than 5,000 compared to 2007.

(CLG) £1 million scheme will help green apprentices in London

A £1 million fund to recruit a new generation of green-fingered apprentices to keep England's parks and green spaces growing, is being announced today by Housing Minister Margaret Beckett.

Local councils will invite budding horticulturalists of all ages to apply for a traineeship scheme that will offer them the opportunity to improve their green skills and make sure our towns' and cities' green spaces stay green.

In London, the local authorities in Brent, Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Lambeth, Newham, Southwark, and Waltham Forest will be looking for people who can prove their gardening prowess and follow in the footsteps of one former green apprentice, Alan Titchmarsh.

As a youngster, Alan was given the chance to train as a green apprentice by Ilkley Council, in Yorkshire. His apprenticeship gave him the opportunity to get involved in an area he was already interested in, but also proved a stepping-stone to a star-studded career in horticulture.

Margaret Beckett will announce the new funding in a speech to leading experts in the green space sector as well as planners, developers and health officials at the ParkCity conference in London.

Mrs Beckett will say:
"These new apprentices will be green ambassadors in their communities, taking responsibility for our parks and open spaces and making sure they are of the highest quality for everyone to enjoy.

"Green spaces and green infrastructure should not be an added luxury. If we really are to tackle climate change, and protect both our environment and our health, green spaces need to be at the heart of our communities.

"We will work closely with planners, developers and experts in the green sector to ensure we have the skills and resources we need to make this happen."

Adding his support for the scheme, Alan Titchmarsh, MBE, said:
"The practical skills provided by apprenticeships are every bit as important as university degrees, especially those involved with the landscape and environment. As a former apprentice myself, I value apprenticeships tremendously and am relieved and delighted that this initiative is under way."

With the public health, environmental and social benefits of green spaces widely known, the new funding comes as part of the Government's drive for more top-quality green spaces through programmes such as the Green Flag Scheme, as well as putting the green agenda at the centre of planning policy and housing growth.

Background
The apprenticeships are open to people of all ages and the 47 local authorities will be managing recruitment to each of their posts.
Alan Titchmarsh's first gardening job was as an apprentice in 1964 at Ilkley Council parks department nursery.

ParkCity is a two-day conference (24-25 March) sponsored by CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) and Natural England, the Government's advisors on urban design and the natural environment. It will focus on the central role of green infrastructure in creating the most successful towns and cities of the future. The event takes place at Dexter House, No 2 Royal Mint Court, Tower Hill, London, EC3N 4QN.