Harrogate Borough Council has unveiled two new projects aimed at preventing people becoming homeless.

The council has set up a repossession prevention loan fund using £57,000 it has received from the Department of Communities and Local Government.

This fund will be used to offer small interest free loans to homeowners faced with repossession or tenants faced with eviction who are struggling to pay rent due to an income shock which has happened through no fault of their own.


The second project, Parent Support, is to offer help to parents who are finding it too difficult to live with their 16 and 17 year old teenagers. The Harrogate and District Strategic Partnership has funded this year-long pilot.

Councillor Andrew Jones, Cabinet Member for Resources, has given his backing to both projects. He said: "As a local authority, we do all we can to help people stay in their homes. This is work we carry out as part of our normal service but in the current economic climate we want to do more."

Loans will generally range from £1000 to £3000 per household but will be capped at £5,000. Loans will be repayable over three years. Before being granted a loan, households must receive independent financial advice to ensure that the loan is affordable.

(CD/KMcA)