Much has been said about the difficulty key workers have in buying a home in Greater London. We bring you information about how they can increase their chances.
With London property prices far outstripping the take-home pay of most key workers, several initiatives have been put in place to help stop the flow of crucial community workers out of the capital. Those in fields such as teaching, police work and health can find ideas and practical help from sources such as Key Worker Living, a government-led initiative.
At Key Worker Living, prospective property owners can find a wealth of information – and can even apply online. There are several schemes currently operating with the goal of making home ownership a more realistic prospect for London’s key workers, for instance equity loans, shared ownership programmes and intermediate renting. For those who are wondering about whether they quality for key worker programmes, eligibility for the different schemes varies depending upon which key worker group you work in.
Education
For school teachers there are two schemes available: London Challenge Key Teacher Homebuy and Key Worker Homebuy. To qualify for London Challenge Key Teacher Homebuy assistance up to £100,000, an applicant must:
* be a teacher at a school in Greater London
* be a permanent employee
* work in a school that is in receipt of public funds
* be unable to buy a home suitable for their household needs within a reasonable travel to work area of their employment
* have indefinite leave either to enter or to remain in the UK (excluding key workers from member states of the EU/EEA)
* have household income that does not exceed £80,000
* sell their existing property if they own one
There are further criteria based on a points system, giving greater weight to those who work in ‘challenging’ schools, Advanced Skills Teachers, Teach First Graduates etc.
To quality for the Key Worker Homebuy for Teachers scheme an applicant must be a qualified teacher, deputy head or headteacher and teaching in grant maintained primary or secondary schools, including city technology colleges, city academies and schools for children with special needs. Applications may need to be prioritised, and this will be based on the same points system as the London Challenge Key Teacher Homebuy scheme.
Other criteria apply. Those who are unsure whether they qualify for these or other schemes should visit fento.ac.uk or call 020 7332 9535.
Health careFor those who work for the NHS, to quality you must be unable to buy a home suitable for your household needs within reasonable travelling distance of your place of employment. You must also be a permanent employee of one of the following:
* NHS Primary Care Trust
* NHS Trust
* NHS Ambulance Trust
* NHS Mental Healthcare and Social care Trust
* National Blood Transfusion Service
* NHS Direct
* NHS Professionals Special Health Authorities
* NHS GP surgeries
* Nurses in dental practices which have obtained Health Service Body status
Applicants must also have indefinite leave either to enter or to remain in the UK (excluding key workers from member states of the EU/EEA) in cases where they are buying a home, have a household income not exceeding £60,000 and sell their existing property if they are trading up
Within the NHS some groups will have priority, including:
* Nursing staff in general
* Cancer services staff, particularly therapeutic radiographers
* Diagnostic support staff including diagnostic radiographers, bio-medical scientists and microbiologists
* Mental health professionals e.g. mental health nurses and graduate workers in primary care
* midwives
* social workers;
* occupational therapists;
* GPs in under-doctored areas (including Hammersmith and Fulham, Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Bexley and Greenwich)
* chiropodists
* physiotherapists
* clinical staff working within the orthoptics, dietetics or prosthetics and orthotics fields
arts therapists
* paramedics
* psychologists
* psychotherapists
* radiographers
* pharmacists
There will be variations in priorities at Strategic Health Authority level according to vacancy levels.
Find out more about key worker schemes by visiting keyworkerliving.co.uk