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Research by Savills has shown that while key workers make up around a third of the UK workforce, they are finding it increasingly difficult to find a home that they can afford . To address this problem, Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes are supporting hundreds of key workers across East Sussex with a dedicated deposit contribution scheme, available across its housing developments in the region.

The Key Worker Deposit Contribution scheme offers eligible buyers a £1,000 deposit contribution for every £20,000 of a home’s purchase price. Last year, the scheme was also extended to include the 37,000 employees and volunteers of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), as well as the country’s 60,000 foster carers.

First time buyers Dinno and Monica Macadong rented for nearly 10 years in London, before using the Key Worker Deposit Contribution Scheme to purchase a three-bedroom Barratt Home. Working at Kings College Hospital, Dinno and Monica boosted their £30,000 savings with a £20,000 contribution from Barratt Homes, to put forwards more than a 10% deposit towards their new home at The Poppies development.

Dinno Macadong said: “We spent years saving as much as we could and after finding out about the Barratt Homes scheme available to key workers, we were over the moon. The contribution meant we were able to maximise what we could afford and go for the three-bedroom model with a significant garden, the perfect place to raise our family.

Dinno and Monica pictured with their Son in their new home.

“Most importantly, we have our own equity and space now, and we don’t have to worry about rent rises or being asked to move out by a landlord. It is much more peaceful than living in London and we have a much better quality of life.”

In addition to support for the NHS, workers in the Education sector, Police Force, Fire Service, Ministry of Defence, Environmental Service, National Highways, Transport Scotland & Transport for Wales, Probation Service, the Local Authority, and the Prison Service have all used the support to get on to the property ladder, take a step up, or even to downsize.

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes have so far given support totalling £34m to over 2,000 key workers across the UK. As well as the deposit contribution, the housebuilders are also offering flooring worth up to a further 1% of the value of the home.

Alex Dowling, Sales and Marketing Director at Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties, said: “Our Key Worker Deposit Contribution Scheme is a fantastic initiative that has supported over 2,000 key workers to purchase their dream home. Created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS, we are proud to have recently extended the scheme to include employees and volunteers of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), as well as the UK’s 60,000 foster carers. It is fantastic to hear the stories of buyers like Monica and Dinno, who have been able to purchase their first family home thanks to the support of this scheme.”

The Key Worker Deposit Scheme is available at developments across East Sussex including Hawthorn Grove, Brookwood Meadows, Cuckoo Fields, Meadowburne Place and Ersham Park.

For more information about Barratt Homes visit www.barratthomes.co.uk or call 03339207811 and for David Wilson Homes visit www.dwh.co.uk/ or call 0333 355 8499.

Housebuilder supports East Sussex key workers with deposit contribution