organisations and institutions Our last government had the central plan and it failed. So we are not going to do the same thing. We are going to introduce very powerful financial incentives to build more homes. So if Welwyn Hatfield build homes, in the future it is going to get money from central government, council tax matching amount for six years. This means that building homes in Hatfield will generate money for example to sort out the town centre, which would be fantastic. We are really trying to link it together by creating incentives and I think by doing those sort of things we will get more homes over all and that will solve a problem for people who want to go and buy houses. So if Welwyn Hatfield builds homes, in the future it is going to get money from central government, council tax matching amount for six years. This means that building homes in Hatfield will generate money for example
to sort out the town centre, which would be fantastic. We are really trying to link it together by creating incentives and I think by doing those sort of things we will get more homes and that will solve a problem for people who want to go and buy houses. I.F.: Where are we going to build those houses ? For example: Welwyn Garden City is surrounded by a green belt? Our plans are not affecting the green belt. As an example, in Hatfield where the aerospace site used to be, is now Hertfordshire university and a gym with quite a lot of space available to build several thousand more homes without significantly infringing on the green belt straight away. K.S: What is your opinion about Social Home Buy Schemes? I am reviewing all of the schemes at the moment. We have not made any announce-
ment since we took over. All the schemes are under review. The HomeBuy Direct is very popular, the other two have not really worked that well I think. I am looking at it actively at the moment. I.F: What would be your message to the EU migrants coming to the UK about the availability of housing here? Housing is very tight across the economy particularly in the south of the country. But actually in the other parts of the country it is not particularly tight at all. I have been in the north-west, north east and in Scotland, where they actively want and need a bigger population. If you come to London or the south-east, you feel like the housing pressure is very big, but if you go to somewhere like Lancashire you find empty streets. The interesting thing is that a lot of migrant Poles have gone
to Scotland probably because it is easier to get properties. You find that the housing situation is much easier in other parts of the country. But my personal message to migrants is that lots of people that I have met who are immigrants are the hardest working people that I have come across. I am from a Polish migrant family myself, third generation. I am very proud to be a government minister now. Probably I am the first generation in my family who would ever had considered going into public life. Sometimes when you first come into the country you think “all that is to do with somebody else”. And you do not get involved in it. So probably it is taking three generations, like me, to come along. I would like to say to everyone the sky is the limit. Britain is a great country and there are a lot of opportunities for people to contribute to society.
Government programs HomeBuy In the UK there are government programs that help residents of the UK to acquire their own house. The aim is to provide preferential credit terms of purchase and different ways of purchasing freehold property. The HomeBuy program is designed for people who without such help could never afford to buy a property.
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Katarzyna Swiba
he HomeBuy scheme can be used in three ways: HomeBuy Direct – this program is designed for people who are buying a house for the first time. You can get a mortgage in the bank but you can also get a loan from HomeBuy Direct. This loan is given on preferential terms. For the first five years it is interest-free, and thereafter on a low-interest. Saret Ownership also known as New Build HomeBuy – this applies if you can’t afford to buy the whole house but only a part of it (at least 25 percent.), and the owner of the property, in this case, cooperative housing (Housing Association), agrees that for the remaining % you are paying rent. If in future you can afford to buy more of your house, you can buy another share until you own the whole property. In this case you can choose the
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The Migrant at home / AUGUST 2010 / www.migranthome.co.uk
property you want to buy, the only condition is that it has to be newly built. Social HomeBuy - designed for people who rent a house, but do not have the rights under the Right to Buy or Right to Acquire and cannot afford to buy a home. This program gives them a significant discount on the property, allowing them to acquire all or part of the estate where they live (eg, 45 percent.) and repay it on preferential terms. For the remaining part they pay rent. In this case, you can only buy a house that you are already occupying as a tenant (this does not apply to private tenants). In the last two cases your credit ratings will determine what % of the property you will be able to buy and pay a mortgage for.
For more information about help available under HomeBuy go on the websites: http://www.homebuy.co.uk/ http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/BuyingAndSellingYourHome/HomeBuyingSchemes/ DG_4001347 http://www.communities.gov. uk/housing/buyingselling/ownershipschemes/ homebuy/ To apply for any of these programs go on the website below. You will find all the agencies that take part in it http://www.homebuy.co.uk/