Who Can Benefit?

If you are a 'key worker' in one of the groups listed below you could get help to buy your first home or to move into a family home. Opportunities are also available to rent homes at affordable prices.

This help is available in London, the South East and the East of England where the high cost of housing is affecting employers' ability to recruit and keep staff.

Key workers who may get help are:

• nurses and other NHS staff;
• teachers in schools and in further education and sixth form colleges;
• police officers and some civilian staff in some police forces;
• prison service and probation service staff;
• social workers, educational psychologists, planners (in London ), occupational therapists and (from May 2004) speech and language therapists employed by local authorities; and
• whole-time junior fire officers and retained fire fighters (all grades) in some fire and rescue services (currently only in Hertfordshire).

Eligibility criteria will vary across regions depending on local recruitment and retention priorities.