A building society has become the first in the UK to launch a new 100% mortgage scheme aimed at renters and first time buyers.
As the cost of living crisis sadly continues to make its impact felt in every area of society, with renters and first time buyers facing a constant uphill battle to get on the property ladder, and average house prices seemingly rising month on month, Skipton Building Society has launched a new deposit-free mortgage scheme.
Skipton says it “recognised a gap in the market”, and its new offering is therefore mostly aimed at those “trapped in rental cycles”.
While it’s true that there is a handful of other deposit-free mortgage deals available at the moment, they all need the financial backing of family or friends, the BBC reports, which means they are often only an option for those from well-off backgrounds, whereas Skipton’s new scheme is also available to those who don’t have access to “the bank of mum and dad”.
UK mortgage lender launches new deposit-free mortgage aimed at renters / Credit: Pixabay
Available up to 100%, the new product does require 12 months of on-time rental payments and a good credit history, but those applying do not need a guarantor.
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The interest rate is at 5.49% though, which is more expensive than the average five-year fix of 5%.
Data issued by Halifax earlier this year found that the average deposit amount put down by first time buyers in 2022 was £62,470, which is up 8% on 2021.
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The last UK lender offering standard 100% mortgages where no deposit was required withdrew from the market 15 years ago – which means Skipton’s new deal is the first available since the 2008 financial crisis.
Understood to be launching anywhere within the next couple of days or weeks, precise details of how the deal will work are yet to be revealed.
The new offer requires proof of 12 months of on-time rental payments and a good credit history / Credit: Unsplash
Skipton’s new deal comes after the government’s Help to Buy scheme officially closed to new applicants back in October 2022.
It’s expected that the new scheme may not be welcomed by everyone though, and could be met with some criticism, as zero-deposit mortgages and riskier mortgages with a high loan-to-value were believed to be one of the root causes of the 2008 financial crash.
Featured Image – Roger Kidd (via Geograph)
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Major headliner pulls out of Manchester Village Pride
Daisy Jackson
One of the Manchester Village Pride headliners has had to pull out of their scheduled appearance, just one day before the celebrations begin.
Nadine Coyle was supposed to be headlining the LGBTQ+ event on Friday 27 August.
But in a statement shared by Manchester Village Pride today, they announced that the former Girls Aloud star is ‘under the weather’.
Nadine will be pulling out of her headline slot to ‘rest and recuperate’, but added that she hopes to see Manchester for Pride again soon.
Thankfully, Manchester Village Pride has already found a suitably fabulous replacement for the main stage on Friday – B*Witched.
The iconic Irish girl group will be encouraging ticket-holders to dig out their double denim and dance to hits like C’est La Vie and Rollercoaster.
In the statement shared by Manchester Village Pride, Nadine’s team said: “Nadine is so sorry to have to step out of Manchester Village Pride this year. It was her very first Pride many years ago and she loves getting to spend time with you all.
“Nadine’s voice has been under the weather and she only wants to give absolute best to you all which sadly won’t be possible this weekend as she needs time to rest and recuperate.
“We hate to do it so near the day. Nadine was really hoping she was going to be well enough and hopes she can see you in Manchester for Pride again soon.
“Thank you for being so kind and understanding and we hope you have a wonderful weekend.”
Manchester Village Pride added: “We know how excited many of you were for a massive hit of 2000s pop nostalgia, and we promised you a party. We’ve been working around the clock, and we are beyond thrilled to announce that pop royalty B*WITCHED are stepping in at the eleventh hour!”
Chester Zoo announces return of its £10 tickets for limited time only with extended opening hours
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo has announced the return of its popular £10 tickets deal for a limited time only.
You may remember that earlier this summer, Chester Zoo invited people from across the North West to visit for just £10, and as the offer proved so popular, they’ve now brought it back again for a limited time.
For the past three years running now, Chester Zoo has officially been named the UK’s best zoo thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews, and now as the summer draws to a close, you’ll get to see exactly what makes it such a special place worth visiting for a cut price.
With the offer only applicable to afternoons this summer, Afternoon Tickets allow entry to Chester Zoo from 2pm onwards – with the last entry being one-hour before it closes.
Chester Zoo is offering £10 tickets to visitors this summer / Credit: Chester Zoo
Without this offer, standard admission tickets to Chester Zoo usually cost up to £38 for adults, £37 for students, and £28 for children, all including a 10% donation to the zoo’s conservation efforts, while babies and carers go free.
So it really is worth making the most of these limited-time £10 tickets while you still can – with the offer now running until 6 September.
The best bit about the offer returning? The zoo is currently operating its extended opening hours until 6pm too, so included for the bargain price of a £10 ticket, you’ll even get to see all the animals while the sun goes down.
Afternoon tickets are only available online and must be booked in advance to claim the £10 offer.
Tickets can only be purchased online before 4pm on the day of your visit, and standard admission tickets can be purchased from our ticket office at the main entrance.
Find out more and book your £10 tickets online here.
Emily Sergeant -
9th May 2023 
