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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-38269394 Birmingham couple buys house for asylum seekers A couple saving for their own home bought a house for asylum seekers instead. Matthew and Steph Neville, from Birmingham, had been saving for years when they decided to help people who had nowhere else to turn. The couple are part of a Christian community and live in a church. Asylum seekers who have recently arrived in the country are expected to move into the terraced house, in an undisclosed West Midlands location, by Christmas.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36243871 There have been calls for the industry to do more to help older buyers Nationwide is raising its age limit for people paying off mortgages by 10 years to 85, in the latest sign of the impact of rising house prices on buyers. The building society said the increase was due to "growing demand", and the limit would be in force from July. It means a 60-year-old could take out a 25-year mortgage as long as they prove they can afford the repayments. The move comes as Halifax increases its age limit for mortgages from 75 to 80 from Monday. There have been calls for the industry to do more to help older buyers after tougher mortgage checks, bought in in the wake of the financial crisis, have made it harder for middle-aged people to get a home loan. 'Controlled manner'Rising house prices have exacerbated the issue, with many people not able to afford to buy their first home until they are in their thirties or forties. Nationwide said the new age limit would apply to existing customers for all its standard mortgages, but the maximum loan size would be £150,000, and could be no greater than 60% of the property value. "Access to the mainstream market has been a challenge for older customers, resulting in their needs going unfulfilled. This measure helps to address these needs in a prudent, controlled manner," said Nationwide head of mortgages Henry Jordan. House prices grew 7.6% in the year to February, official statistics suggest. And a recent survey by Halifax suggested that one in three 20- to 45-year-olds expected to be working beyond their retirement age to pay off their mortgage. Halifax said its decision was a response to changing demographics, with people living and working for longer. The policies of rival mortgage lenders for older borrowers varies. Santander, for example, says 75 is its cut-off while RBS' upper age limit is 70. HSBC says it does not turn down mortgages on the basis of age, but reviews applications of those over 75 on "a case by case basis". At Barclays the upper age limit is 70, or the customer's retirement date - whichever is sooner.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35941503 North-South house price divide hits record high By Brian Milligan Personal Finance reporter House prices in northern England are now less than half those in the south of the country, according to the Nationwide - a new record. On average, a house in the North of England is worth nearly £163,000 less than one in the South. In the first quarter of 2016, prices in the South rose by 9.9% year-on-year, compared to just 1.8% in the North. Measured on a monthly basis, the average price of a home in the UK was £200,251. That is the first time on the Nationwide measure that the price has risen above £200,000. The building society also said that prices were picking up. In the year to March, house price inflation across the UK hit 5.7% - up from 4.8% in February and the fastest rate for more than a year. One reason for the increase may have been the rush by landlords to buy property ahead of Stamp Duty increases on 1 April, the Nationwide said. The Scottish equivalent - the Land and Building Transaction Tax (LBTT) - will also see a 3% surcharge. "The pace of house price growth may moderate again once the stamp duty changes take effect in April," said Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist. "However, it is possible that the recent pattern of strong employment growth, rising real earnings, low borrowing costs and constrained supply will keep the demand/supply balance tilted in favour of sellers, and maintain pressure on price growth in the quarters ahead." The Nationwide figures suggest prices are rising fastest in the London suburbs - as corroborated by the Land Registry earlier this week. Where prices are rising fastest Region Average price % annual change (Q1 2016 v Q1 2015) Outer London £344,371 12.2% London £455,984 11.5% South East England £255,325 8.3% South West £221,703 5.8% East Anglia £204,948 5.8% West Midlands £168,585 4.1% East Midlands £162,082 2.2% Yorks and Humberside £144,361 1.9% N. Ireland £123,225 1.8% Wales £141,525 1.7% North West £144,914 0.5% Scotland £139,911 -0.2% Northern England £123,864 -1.1% I would love to buy a home for £200,251. Bring it on.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35406324 A CNN/ORC poll carried out in December 2015 suggests 69% of Americans are either "very angry" or "somewhat angry" about "the way things are going" in the US. #GETANGRY