Key worker scheme eludes social care

A scheme to provide affordable homes for public sector workers has
helped 3,347 people over the past year and is on course to meet its
target, according to government figures.

But the Key Worker Living programme has helped few social workers,
with only 63 benefiting since its launch in April 2004.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister had hoped the programme
would help 3,692 key workers buy their own homes by the end of
March.

That target had nearly been reached by the end of February, with a
further 1,250 workers in the process of buying homes.

Although social workers are eligible for the scheme, which includes
home loans of up to £50,000, shared ownership or subsidised
renting, few had applied, according to the ODPM.

A draft evaluation report into the programme’s predecessor, the
Starter Homes Initiative, has found that it caused resentment among
contracted-out staff and non-EU nationals who were ineligible for
assistance.