How to pay a 30 year mortgage in 10 years

Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered hope to millions of house buyers today as he announced a stamp duty holiday extension alongside new 95% mortgages for buyers. The new mortgage guarantee scheme, first confirmed last week, will help raise home ownership numbers from April, the Chancellor said. Sunak confirmed the news in the Commons earlier amid a record low in 95% mortgages. Right now, there are just eight products on the market, with banks pulling the 'risky' loans since the start of the pandemic. But there are already fears that the new scheme - designed primarily to help first-time buyers get onto the ladder - will lead to a surge in demand and rising house prices, putting properties further out of reach for many. "This is a policy that gives people who can't afford a big deposit the chance to buy their own home," Sunak told MPs. "As the prime minister has said, we want to turn generation rent into generation buy. "Lenders who provide mortgages to homebuyers who can only … [Read more...] about Budget 2021: Return of 95% mortgages confirmed – but fears raised of ‘hidden cost’

Philip Whiteside, news reporter Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is a British-Iranian woman who has been in jail in Iran for five years. The Iranian regime claims she was working against the state when she was arrested on a visit to the country to see her parents with her daughter. Here is a timeline of events that have left a family split apart and resulted in diplomacy at the highest level. October 2010 Joins Thomson Reuters Foundation Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe joins the Thomson Reuters Foundation, a charity that says it promotes "socio-economic progress" and the rule of law through a series of training programmes. Advertisement Before the move, she worked for BBC Media Action for around 18 months, the corporation's international development charity which uses "the power of media and communication to help reduce poverty and support people in understanding their rights". June 2014 Birth of her daughter Gabriella, the only daughter of Mrs … [Read more...] about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe: The five-year fight for freedom

Boris Johnson has left the door open to U-turning over the paltry 1% pay rise for NHS staff after fury from thousands of nurses. The Prime Minister stressed the process was still ongoing as he was grilled on a visit to an NHS vaccine centre in north London. It now means Mr Johnson and Gavin Williamson have both failed to rule out U-turning - and implementing a higher pay rise - after an independent review body reports back later this year. Asked if he could look nurses in the eye over the paltry sum, or whether a U-turn was possible, Mr Johnson told reporters: "I’m massively grateful to all NHS staff and indeed social care workers who’ve been heroic throughout the pandemic. “What we’ve done is tried to give them as much as we can at the present time. The independent pay review body will obviously look at what we’ve proposed and come back.” Nursing unions have set up a fighting fund for possible strike action after the below-inflation rise emerged in government documents on … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson opens door to NHS pay rise U-turn – as even Tory voters demand it

The organiser of a protest over the proposed 1% pay rise for NHS workers has been handed a £10,000 fine by police. Officers attended the demonstration in Manchester city centre at around noon on Sunday. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said around 40 people had gathered "in contravention of current lockdown legislation". The organiser of the protest, a 61-year-old woman, was issued with a £10,000 fixed penalty notice, the force said. A 65-year-old woman was arrested for failing to provide details after refusing to leave, according to GMP. Advertisement More from Greater Manchester Major incident declared after fire rips through three-storey warehouse in Manchester Special constable repeatedly bitten during Manchester raid Manchester: Man charged after police stop ambulance with blue flashing lights taking family to Asda COVID-19: Greater Manchester Police officer dies aged 40 after contracting coronavirus … [Read more...] about NHS pay row: Organiser of protest in Manchester given £10,000 fine by police

The prime minister has defended a proposed 1% pay rise for NHS staff. "What we have done is try to give them as much as we can at the present time," Boris Johnson said during a visit to a COVID-19 vaccination centre in north London. "The independent pay review body will obviously look at what we've proposed and come back. Are other public sector workers in line for an increase? "Don't forget that there has been a public sector pay freeze, we're in pretty tough times. "We've tried to give the NHS as much as we possibly can and that means, in addition to the £140bn of annual money, we've got another £62bn we've found to help support the NHS throughout the crisis." Advertisement The PM - who spent time in intensive care with COVID and said the NHS "saved my life" - added that he was "massively grateful" to health service staff and social care workers for their "heroic" efforts throughout the pandemic. But the proposal has … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Boris Johnson defends proposed 1% pay rise for NHS staff