ONLY 215 people have been helped by a Government scheme to give first-time buyers a leg up on to the property ladder, it emerged last night.
The HomeBuy Direct scheme, which was announced in September last year, aimed to help 18,000 families buy their first home.
But demand for the scheme has fallen short of expectations, with only 215 people so far using it since it became available in March.
The scheme aims to help people buy new- build properties by providing them with up to 30% of the purchase price through a loan secured against the property, with 15% coming from the Government and 15% from the developer.
The loan is interest-free for the first five years.
