Twenty-two local authority areas will be given Whitehall support to prevent local residents from having their homes repossessed during the recession, housing minister, John Healey, has announced. Repossession ‘hotspots' – which include Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and three London boroughs – will receive Whitehall cash to run advertising campaigns highlighting publicly-funded financial support programmes designed to help residents cope with the threat of intervention by mortgage lenders. Each area targeted under the Mortgage Help initiative is prone to high levels of unemployment and court orders for repossessions. The cash provided by the CLG will be spent on local billboard, newspaper and online advertising, urging those in need of help to take advantage of programmes such as free debt advice provided by councils and the national Mortgage Rescue Scheme. Mr Healey said he was keen to ensure that families at risk of repossession received the best advice available. ‘The worst thing anyone facing money worries can do is bury their head in the sand. We've seen recent drops in the number of repossessions – but I know the threat will remain high throughout next year, and I want people to have the help they need.'
