No hope of a mortgage for many thousands of public service workers

Hundreds of thousands of public service workers including nurses, paramedics, care and social workers are being priced out of the housing market, despite low interest rates, said UNISON, the UK’s largest union.

The union is warning that although the latest figures show that repossessions are low, many workers cannot afford the high cost of home ownership in the first place and are being let down by a lack of available social housing for rent.

Simon Watson, UNISON National Officer for said:

“The pay freeze means that many thousands of public service workers are being frozen out of owning their own homes. Many simply cannot afford the high cost of ownership and cannot get a mortgage in the first place.

“The Government needs to take urgent action to increase the number and range of affordable rented accommodation. While repossessions may have fallen, we know from our members working in housing associations up and down the county, that tenants are struggling to pay high rents and are falling into arrears.

“The UK’s economy is only getting weaker and the Government needs to kick- start the recovery by boosting new home building.”