The Mortgage Rescue Scheme, originally unveiled by the Government in September, has been available in 80 local authorities since the beginning of December and has now been extended across the whole of England. We explain who can access the scheme.

What is it?

It is designed to offer more help for the poorest and most vulnerable households who are at risk of repossession.

There are two parts of the scheme. The first allows homeowners to sell part of their home in a shared equity deal to a housing association, in order to reduce their mortgage repayments. The second enables households to sell their entire home outright to a housing association and pay subsidised rent to remain in the property.

The Department for Communities and Local Government predicts that 6,000 households will be helped by the £200 million scheme over the next two years.

What are the qualifying criteria?

The scheme is primarily aimed at elderly and disabled homeowners and families with young children, but any household with an income below £60,000 a year can apply.

Who can't apply?

You cannot apply if you are in negative equity, meaning your mortgage is worth more than the value of your home. This will be assessed by your local authority when applying for the scheme.

How do you access the scheme?

Contact the housing department of your local authority or visit your local Citizen's Advice Bureau.

What other help is available?

Mortgage Rescue is part of a package of measures announced by the Government to stem the tide of predicted repossessions this year.

The Support for Mortgage Interest scheme is designed to help homeowners who are on a means-tested benefit to pay their mortgage. Last week, the time that homeowners who have been made redundant have to wait before becoming eligible for the scheme was cut from 39 weeks to 13 weeks. Homeowners with mortgages worth up to £400,000 can also apply.

The Government is also working on another scheme, called the Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme, which could enable homeowners to defer paying interest on their home loans for up to two years.