Press Release

Key worker living extended to all English regions

07 January 2008

Key worker status has now been extended to cover every region in England for qualified environmental health practitioners.

To date the Key Working Living Programme focused on those regions with the greatest recruitment and retention pressures, including London, the South East and the East of England.

But from 3 January 2008 key workers in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humberside, West Midlands, East Midlands and the South West will be eligible for help to access affordable housing.

Qualified EHPs will be able to apply for a loan to help them buy a home on the open market: or qualify for shared ownership where an individual buys at least 25 percent of the home and pays a reduced rent on the remaining share.

The scheme is restricted to EHPs working in the public sector, with a household income under £60,000, and those who already own a home could receive help to buy a larger property.

Those eligible must be qualified EHPs who have completed their environmental health degree, the practical/experiential learning portfolio or equivalent, professional examinations and are registered with the Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB).

To obtain an application form and confirm eligibility please contact a HomeBuy Agent – the registered social landlord that markets the housing schemes on behalf of the Government – in the respective area.

The CIEH cannot confirm eligibility for the scheme, but further information is available at: http://www.cieh.org/library/Careers_and_Training/QA2.pdf.

To view details of the HomeBuy Agent for an area please visit: http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/buyingselling/ownershipschemes/homebuy/contactyourlocal/.

To confirm EHRB registration please telephone 020 7827 5815.