date: 16 July 2008

embargo: For immediate release

TUC welcomes Government moves to help first-time buyers

Welcoming the housing measures announced today (Wednesday) by Housing Minister Caroline Flint, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'In many parts of the country, housing costs have soared way beyond the means of young workers, forcing them either to stay living with their parents or to move miles from their place of work. Today's measures will help bring houses and flats within the reach of many first-time buyers and will help alleviate the stresses suffered by workers living in poor housing or facing lengthy daily commutes.

'Mechanisms to allow unsold houses and flats to be bought from builders and offered as affordable homes will increase the options available to those keen to have their own homes, as will moves to allow local councils to build more homes.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The TUC recently published Fair Homes: Building a New Deal for Housing looking at the UK housing market and calling for a series of measures to tackle the UK's housing crisis http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/index.cfm?startrow=7&endrow=12

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Press release (400 words) issued 16 Jul 2008