Housing

Key Worker Living

From 1 April 2004 a new 'Key Worker Living Programme' was put in place, replacing the 'Starter Home Initiative'. The new programme offers assistance to a wider group of key workers delivering front line public services. At present key workers include:

Social workers
Teachers in schools, further education and sixth form colleges
Education psychologists
Nurses/Health workers
Police officers
Police civilians
Occupational therapists
Prison staff
Probation Service staff
Local authority planners

Type of assistance available

Intermediate Renting - rent is charged between a social and open market rent
Shared Ownership- for 'new build schemes'; the purchaser buys an equity share of the property and pays rent to the housing association for the remainder
Home Buy - an equity loan of at least 25% of the property value up to a limit of £50k
London Challenge Key Teacher Home Buy - provides a higher value limit grant of up to £100,000 for a small targeted number of teachers

How to find out more

The above schemes are administered by Zone Agents acting as 'one stop shops' for key workers. Metropolitan Home Ownership is the Zone Agent for the East Sub Region.

To find out more, key workers can visit the Key Worker Living website or call Metropolitan Home Ownership on 020 8920 7777.

Separate from Key Worker Living, which is a government initiative, Barking and Dagenham offer additional options to Key Workers.