Westmorland and Furness Council has dropped the First Home Statement which gave buyers a 30% discount on their first home. A report by the council said the scheme did not fulfil its housing objectives ...

Young Britons struggling to get on the housing ladder could get first dibs on new apartments, a competitive mortgage offer - and £100,000 off the price.

The scheme, which enables lenders to offer 95% loan-to-value mortgages with government backing, is designed to help buyers with smaller deposits step onto the property ladder.