‘Help-to-Buy’ doubt hits UK housebuilding shares

The British government has said that it was incorrect to infer that its ‘Help-to-Buy’ scheme, aimed at boosting home ownership, would be cancelled after a review of the programme.

Shares of UK homebuilders slumped yesterday after British trade publication Property Week said the scheme could be wound up early, citing a review into the programme to be conducted by the London School of Economics.

“The department regularly reviews the Help-to-Buy Equity Loan Scheme, with the last review taking place in 2015,” a spokesman from the UK’s Department for Communities and Local Government said.