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The best low deposit mortgages for first-time buyers where you can buy a home with no savings
ASPIRING homeowners have more and more ways to get on the ladder with very small deposits or without any savings at all.
Despite record house prices, the number of first-time buyers last year jumped by almost 20% from 2023, according to the latest data from Halifax.
The average first-time buyer is now 33 years old, and forking out a whopping deposit of £61,090 for a home worth an average £311,034, the data showed.
Mortgage lenders typically require borrowers to have a deposit of at least 5% of the property price and for some the minimum is 10%.
This means you usually need to save a deposit worth tens of thousands of pounds.
The average house price is £299,138 in January – a 5% deposit works out at £14,956 or 10% is £29,913.
But the good news is that more lenders are offering options where you can buy a home without having to scrape together a small fortune.
Some lenders even have options where you don’t have to pay any deposit at all.
Nicholas Mendes, technical manager at broker John Charcol said: “In today’s evolving property market, there are more opportunities than ever for buyers without a large deposit to take their first step onto the property ladder.
“Innovative mortgage products are opening doors, with lenders offering low-deposit options that make homeownership more accessible.
“There has never been a more exciting time to explore the possibilities for aspiring homeowners looking to make their move sooner rather than later.”
A good independent mortgage broker can help you decide what is available to you including how much can you can borrow.
Lenders work out the size of the loan and repayments you can afford based on the income of applicants, as well as any regular payments such as loans and credit cards that you are committed too.
Regular outgoings such as childcare costs and bills are also taken into consideration.
The main issue to take into consideration with a smaller deposit is that you will typically pay higher mortgage rates, as the lender is taking on more risk.
The bigger the mortgage, the more affordable the rates are on offer.
A mortgage broker should be able to help guide you as to whether it’s worth your while trying to save a bigger deposit.
You can also use a mortgage calculator to get a quick idea of what’s available in your circumstances, giving you a rough figure on the maximum you’re likely to be offered.
You can find calculators at MoneySuperMarket.com, Which? and most of the big mortgage lenders such as Barclays and HSBC also have tools on their websites.
Here’s a breakdown of what is available…
Skipton Building Society – 0% deposit
You can by a home with no savings at all through Skipton Building Society providing you can prove that you have a solid track record of paying rent for a year or more.
Rates start at 5.29% for a no fee five-year track record mortgage.
It’s a great option for those who know they can afford mortgage repayments but are finding lump sum deposits too much of a hurdle.
You will need to meet affordability requirements
The amount you can borrow is capped as your monthly repayment can’t be more than you currently pay in rent.
As well as first-time buyers, renters who owned a property more than three years ago can also apply for the deal.
Barclays – 0% deposit
Many first-time buyers get help with a deposit from parents and other family members.
But if your family aren’t in a position to gift cash, Barclays provides another option.
Borrowers can buy without a deposit under the bank’s Family Springboard scheme as long as a parent keeps 10% of the purchase price in a linked savings account.
The cash still belongs to the parent and earns interest, but could be at risk if you fall behind on repayments and the property is repossessed and sold for less than the mortgage.
Buckinghamshire Building Society offers a similar deal, giving 100% if 20% of the purchase price can be secured against the parental home.
A good deal of trust is needed as their house could be at risk if you failed to repay your mortgage.
Nicholas explains: “This structure offers a win-win: buyers can get onto the property ladder sooner without the pressure of saving a large deposit, and family members know their money is secure and even earning interest.
“It’s particularly appealing for parents or relatives who want to help but aren’t in a position to gift large sums outright. Additionally, with rates starting from 5.32% and no arrangement fee, it’s a cost-effective solution for many first-time buyers looking for flexible support.”
Yorkshire Building Society – 1% deposit
Most mortgage deals require a percentage of the property value as a deposit.
However, Yorkshire instead asks for a flat £5,000 deposit which would translate a deposit of less than 1% on properties worth £100,00 or more.
Rates start from 5.79% for a five year fixed rate with no fee.
“Another lender who is thinking outside the box and is looking to support more first-time buyers with less than a 5% deposit,” says Richard Fernandes, a mortgage advice manager at Habito.
Vida – 3% deposit
Specialist mortgage provider Vida Homeloans’ ‘3 and easy’ range is available to buyers with a deposit of only 3%.
The major benefit of this range is that – unlike many high street mortgages – it’s available to those with an adverse credit history, complex or second job income, as well as self-employed or contract workers.
However, the downside is that the deals don’t come cheap.
Rates start from a pricey 7.4% for a five-year fixed rate deal.
Nicholas Mendes added: “This initiative addresses a crucial gap in the market.
“Historically, individuals with adverse credit have faced significant barriers, such as the need for larger deposits, effectively locking them out of homeownership opportunities.”
However, if you don’t really need a specialist mortgage it could make more financial sense to access lower rates elsewhere.
Nationwide – 5% deposit
Although a number of lenders offer 5% deposit options for first-time buyers, Nationwide‘s Helping Hand option means you could borrow up to six times your income.
Lenders typically cap their loans at 4.5- or 5-times income. Someone earning £36,000 could therefore borrow up to £180,000.
But with Nationwide, the same person could borrow up to £216,000, giving you more property options and greater borrowing power.
Rates start from 5.29% for a 5-year fix.
Halifax has also increased how much it will allow first-time buyers borrow with the upper limit now at 5.5 and there are other specialist providers offering similar.
Nicholas from John Charcol added: “Borrowing power is receiving a significant boost thanks to income-enhancing mortgage solutions from the likes of April Mortgages and Generation Home.”
Other options
Alongside low deposit mortgages, there are other schemes to help first-time buyers move into ownership.
- Shared Ownership
Instead of buying the whole property, through shared ownership schemes you can instead buy a portion from as little 10% and pay rent to a landlord on the rest.
Buying just a share of the home means the deposit and mortgage payments are much smaller.
- Joint borrower, sole proprietor
These mortgages take into account the income of another person to help boost affordability. The additional applicant – typically a family member – is liable for the mortgage, but they do not own the home.
As with other family help options, there needs to be a large degree of trust. It is a good idea to work out a plan of what would happen in the event that you were struggling to repay the mortgage as all parties will be liable.
A mortgage broker can help you to find lenders offering these deals.
- First Homes scheme
If you live in England, the First Homes scheme allows you to buy a property up to 50% below its market price.
The discount stays with the property, so is available to any future buyer too.
To use the scheme, you must be a first-time buyer and aged 18 or older.
You must earn less than £80,000 a year before tax or £90,000 if the property is in London.
How to get the best deal on your mortgage
IF you're looking for a traditional type of mortgage, getting the best rates depends entirely on what's available at any given time.
There are several ways to land the best deal.
Usually the larger the deposit you have the lower the rate you can get.
If you’re remortgaging and your loan-to-value ratio (LTV) has changed, you’ll get access to better rates than before.
Your LTV will go down if your outstanding mortgage is lower and/or your home’s value is higher.
A change to your credit score or a better salary could also help you access better rates.
And if you’re nearing the end of a fixed deal soon it’s worth looking for new deals now.
You can lock in current deals sometimes up to six months before your current deal ends.
Leaving a fixed deal early will usually come with an early exit fee, so you want to avoid this extra cost.
But depending on the cost and how much you could save by switching versus sticking, it could be worth paying to leave the deal – but compare the costs first.
To find the best deal use a mortgage comparison tool to see what’s available.
You can also go to a mortgage broker who can compare a much larger range of deals for you.
Some will charge an extra fee but there are plenty who give advice for free and get paid only on commission from the lender.
You’ll also need to factor in fees for the mortgage, though some have no fees at all.
You can add the fee – sometimes more than £1,000 – to the cost of the mortgage, but be aware that means you’ll pay interest on it and so will cost more in the long term.
You can use a mortgage calculator to see how much you could borrow.
Remember you’ll have to pass the lender’s strict eligibility criteria too, which will include affordability checks and looking at your credit file.
You may also need to provide documents such as utility bills, proof of benefits, your last three month’s payslips, passports and bank statements.
Our streets are overrun by army of rats & stinking bins left to rot for a MONTH – bonkers council plan is hellish
LOCALS fear their streets are being overrun by an “army of rats” and their stinking bins left to rot under a “bonkers” new council plan.
Disgruntled residents in Bristol claim their city is already swimming in rubbish and the new policy, which is on the brink of approval, will make matters even worse.
If waved through, it will see the frequency of bin collections decreased to just once every four weeks.
Almost 10,000 of the city’s 760,000 inhabitants have come together to sign a petition against the switch – with some even considering taking matters into their own hands.
One local, university worker Ellie, 42, told The Sun: “It’s always like this, even though we currently have fortnightly, not monthly, collections, so what the heck is it going to be like when they’ve been left out for another two weeks.
“We’ve already got a rat problem here, but with the rubbish left lying around – whether it’s in the home or out on the street – it’s going to horrendous.
“There will be rats everywhere and that will bring infestation and disease, potentially.
“We’ve had rats in our home. I can hear them beneath the floorboards and the other day I saw one in our lounge. The neighbours have rats too.
“I’ve signed the petition and I urge the council to think again about this bonkers idea.”
Ellie, who works in the marketing and communications and department at Bristol University, added: “I used to live in London and we had one bin for recycling and another for general waste, so it was fairly quick and easy to sort it, and we could just leave it out for the collection team to sort through and separate the waste on the street.
“Then when I moved here eight years ago, it was three different recycling bins and we have to sort it ourselves, which takes quite a bit of time. Now they want us to not only sort through every piece of waste, but also to then leave it all hanging around for four weeks.”
Abstract artist Ronnie, 69, says he plans to buy a £125 digital compactor to reduce the volume of rubbish stored at his home if the policy is implemented.
He said: “It’s a lot of money for people to find, but I don’t see any other solution.
“Maybe the council should provide us all with a compactor with all the money they say they’ll be saving on collections.”
The once-a-month collections would aim to “to boost recycling” and cut costs of around £2.3m, the council has said.
Ronnie added: “A month between collections is just too long. I can remember it being once a week and that was as it should be.
“I’m happy to recycle, but I don’t want waste lying around for four weeks. We already have a rat problem here and this is going to cause a massive rodent issue.
“I recycle everything I can and put it out but often they don’t collect it all.
“Last week they left the cardboard I’d carefully recycled. What’s the point, if they can’t even be bothered to collect it. There’s always plenty they leave behind.”
Retired business analyst Kevin, 64, said that because he lives alone, he does not expect to be too affected by the switch to monthly collections, but has sympathy for larger households.
He said: “There’s a family next door to me with six in the house so what the heck are they going to do with all the waste that will be generated over the course of a month?
“It will be overflowing everywhere and that presents a potential health hazard.”
Another resident, teacher Geoff, 58, said he fears the waste will attract “an army of rats”.
He said: “If we aren’t having it collected for a month, rubbish will be piled up in the street because there’ll be no room in the bins for more. That will attract even more rats.
“It’s a bonkers idea and it needs to be abandoned.”
Others fear an explosion of fly-tipping, where people dump rubbish in public areas because they no longer have room to store their waste.
One, retired hospital worker Connie, 60, said: “People are just going to illegally dump their rubbish wherever they can.
“Once a month is crazy. It’s another sign of the UK going downhill, I’m afraid. It’s going to create a mess in this beautiful city.”
Student Eli, 18, described the plans as “ridiculous”, even though he is always happy to recycle.
He said: “I recognise it’s essential that we all recycle all our waste. It’s what my generation have grown up with so it’s almost automatic, but the council has a responsibility to collect it before it starts piling up.
“Four weeks between collections is way too long. It’s just gross.
“We’ll be overrun with rats and that will cause horrific problems.”
Culver, 27, who works at Bristol Law Centre, said: “I can understand the need to make a financial saving, but if it creates a rat epidemic, it will cost more in the long run.
“Four weeks is just too long. The bins at the block of flats where I live are always overflowing by the end of the fortnight, so I dread to think what it will be like after a month.”
Opposition councillors have demanded a focus on improving the existing bin collection service, rather than implementing monthly collections.
In their justification for the plans, the ruling Greens on Bristol City Council pointed to the looming imposition of a carbon tax on the disposal of waste.
They say moving to a monthly bin collection would avoid nearly £1.5m of future carbon tax costs, while a collection every three weeks would save nearly £1m.
An increasing number of councils across Britain have already moved to three-weekly collections for general waste, with many citing the need to cut carbon emissions.
If Bristol City Council pushes ahead with its four-weekly plan, it will spark fears that other cash-strapped local authorities might also be encouraged to implement monthly waste collections.
The council’s deputy leader, Green Party councillor Heather Mack, said: “There’s due to be a tax on the residual waste we send to be processed, for the carbon in that.
The councils considering monthly bin collections
- Dundee Council
- East Dunbartonshire Council
- Allerdale Council
- Flintshire Council
- Cheshire East Council
- Sandwell Council
- Birmingham Council
- North Warwickshire Council
- Oadby and Wigston Council
- East Suffolk Council
- Babergh Counci
- North Hertfordshire Council
- East Hertfordshire Council
- Caerphilly Council
- North Somerset Council
- Bristol Council
- Lewisham Council
- Basingstoke & Deane Council
- Mid Sussex Council
- Arun Council
- New Forest
- Teignbridge Council
“So we really need to consider how much we’re sending and where else could it go.
“We would also offer larger bins for larger households, and an extra collection for people with sanitary products or nappies, so we don’t want people to unduly struggle with this.”
The public consultation on the potential changes will run until March 10.
The council said the city currently recycles around 45 per cent of household waste, but warned the rate is dropping.
The proposed changes would “put us on a path to meet a national target of recycling 65 per cent of our city’s waste by 2035″, the council added.
Tom Renhard, leader of the Labour group on Bristol City Council, said: “There needs to be a focus on sorting out the existing service.
“I’m getting an increasing number of complaints from local residents across the city that recycling isn’t being collected and black bins aren’t being collected on [the current] two-weekly basis.
“Some of my residents haven’t had a recycling collection this side of Christmas.
“You’re also starting to see that if residents’ recycling isn’t getting collected and it’s piling up, they’re going to put it in the bin, which isn’t going to help recycling rates.”
The Sun has contacted Bristol City Council for comment.
The BAFTAs most shocking moments – from race rows and star swinging punches to ruined red carpet
THE EE Bafta Film Awards are already shaping up to be one of the biggest nights of the year.
Ariana Grande, Demi Moore, Timothee Chalamet and Ralph Fiennes are all attending the ceremony this Sunday.
The Sun also exclusively revealed that Take That have been booked to perform and that Hollywood favourite Jeff Goldblum will give a special performance for the In Memoriam section of the show.
Hosted by David Tennant at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis will receive the Bafta Fellowship award.
It’s all so very exciting! But we will have to wait to view the winners and losers and everything in between – for who knows what might happen on the night!
In the meantime, travel back in time with us as The Sun Online takes a look at the show’s most shocking moments – so pour your champers and let’s delve in.
Rebel Wilson Being A Rebel
The BBC were forced to issue an apology after viewers were left offended by Rebel Wilson‘s opening monologue at the 2022 BAFTAs.
Rebel is known for her – to put it simply – rebellious nature so it was no surprise when the actress poked fun at Prince Andrew and dished out some controversial jibes during her hilarious speech.
“Good evening distinguished guests and those who don’t identify as that. It is really great to be here at the Royal Andrew… Royal Harry… Royal Phillip… this royal palace place” she said.
She went on: “Sam Mendes, Martin Scorsese, Todd Phillips, Quentin Tarantino and Bong Joon-ho.
“I look at the exceptional talent nominated in this category and I don’t think I could do what they do, honestly… I just don’t have the b****s.”
One joke dubbed too crude for broadcast came at the expense of Daniel Craig as Rebel declared she’d like to ‘sit on’ the James Bond star.
John Hurt Throwing A Punch In The Seventies
John Hurt travelled in a circle of wild living and hard drinking actor friends – his main partners in crime being Peter O’Toole, Oliver Reed and Lucian Freud.
However, John insisted he and his friends drank within a culture that “encouraged louche, creative people” and were never binge drinkers.
But, after he won Best Supporting Actor for Midnight Express in 1979, he took a swing at a photographer, missed and ended up sprawled on the floor.
Not the most dignified situation to find yourself in, especially with a glass in your hand.
Babe The Pig In The Audience
In 1996, despite huge stars like Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson, the most talked about guest was Babe the pig.
The gorgeous little thing was even given their very own seat at the show and sat patiently throughout the very long ceremony.
Sadly the little piglet didn’t get its moment on the stage as Babe didn’t win any of the four awards it had been nominated for.
Jennifer Lawrence vs Joanna Lumley
In 2018, Jennifer Lawrence shocked viewers as she seemed to snub our national treasure Joanna Lumley.
Joanna announced: “Right let’s start giving out some of those beautiful BAFTAs shall we and we start with the award for Outstanding British Film.
“And who better to kick the whole evening off than the hottest actress on the planet.”
“Soon to be seen in Red Sparrow, it’s the ravishing Jennifer Lawrence.”
Jennifer pipped back: “Hi, that was a bit much but thank you Joanna.”
Later, Jennifer explained that it was only an inside joke but later apologised for ‘offending the whole of England‘.
Foaming Red Carpet
Soapy trouble hit our screen stars in 2002 when someone seemed to get carried away in their endeavour to ensure the carpet was shining bright.
After a torrential rain storm turned the red carpet into a treacherous mess of soap suds, stars were forced to walk through an unexpected thick layer of foam.
Kevin Spacey while presenting an award joked that Dame Judi Dench had ruined her shoes and was holding BAFTA organisers personally responsible.
Host Stephen Fry joked: “I think it’s the years of greasy flattery given to actors which is finally bubbling up.”
Stephen Fry Fashion Faux Pas
Speaking of Stephen, the BAFTA host came under a torrent of fire at the 2016 BAFTAs when he mocked costume designer Jenny Beavan.
Jenny won for her costume design on Mad Max: Fury Road and collected her award in a leather jacket a baggy top and trousers.
“Only one of the great cinematic costume designers would come to an awards ceremony dressed as a bag lady,” Fry joked.
Despite Stephen revealing that the pair were friends, and Jenny insisting that she wasn’t offended, the backlash was so great that Stephen ended up deleting his Twitter account.
Bafta Blackout And Diversity Rage
Controversy in 2016 overshadowed the ceremony after protestors demonstrated outside Royal Opera House over a perceived lack of diversity among nominees.
Beasts Of No Nation star Idris Elba, who was nominated for best supporting actor, and Star Wars actor John Boyega, who won Rising Star, were shockingly the only black actors on the 2016 shortlist.
‘Creatives of Colour Network’ demonstrated at London’s Royal Opera House, with placards and banners and made their voices heard.
The BAFTAS air at 7pm on BBC1 on Sunday February 16 2025.
Inside world’s most dangerous police force as kids shot dead, suspects thrown off bridges & cops ‘wanting murders on CV’
MOTHERS find their children shot dead on the streets by cops and suspects are chucked off bridges instead of arrest.
This is the tormenting reality of life under a rogue police force and a trigger-happy chief in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Beatriz da Silva Rosa, a dinner lady, had her world shattered when her four-year-old son and husband were killed by police bullets in separate incidents months apart.
Ryan, her toddler, tried to escape when gunfire cracked through his street – but then Beatriz found him on the ground, purple, with a hole in his stomach in November.
Ryan’s dad, Leonel, was also shot dead in February last year by cops who ordered him to drop the two crutches he used and run away – before mowing him down, according to Deutsche Welle Brasil.
The only good bandit is a dead bandit.
Guilherme Muraro Derrite, Public Security Secretary
The alarming spike in killings at the hands of police has rocked Sao Paulo, with fears the state is slipping back into its old ways.
Many residents – including Camila Asano, director of Sao Paulo human rights group Conectas – blame the governor Tarcísio de Freitas, who took power in January 2023.
Since his arrival, cops have unleashed brazen violence on the streets – which were already riddled with social issues.
Camila told The Sun: “When de Freitas was elected, he began vocally defending a very violent police force. He disregarded measures to control police lethality, like the use of body cams.”
CAUGHT RED-HANDED
Another appalling incident – this time caught on camera – saw an off-duty cop fired 11 fatal rounds into the back of Gabriel Renan da Silva Soares as he tried to make off with some stolen soap.
Gabriel slipped on a piece of cardboard as he ran out of the OXXO store – and the cop decided that he should die.
CCTV footage of the cold-blooded murder was released to social media weeks later, leading to the policeman’s arrest.
The world watched again, open-mouthed, as a Sao Paulo cop casually tossed a man off a bridge in December.
Video emerged of Marcelo Amaral, 25, a delivery driver, being stopped on his motorbike and marched to the edge of a bridge.
For no obvious reason, the policeman scooped up Marcelo by his legs and chucked him over the edge into a shallow, polluted river.
Marcelo thankfully survived the plunge after treatment in hospital.
The military cop who lobbed him off, 29-year-old Luan Pereira, was removed from duty after the incident gained global attention.
Another appalling incident saw a 22-year-old medical student, Marco Aurélio Cardenas Acosta, blasted point-black in the chest by a policeman with a pistol.
Two cops had Marco after he apparently slapped the rear-view mirror of their car, and shot him after a short struggle.
Marco slumped in his hotel lobby and was rushed to hospital where he died hours later, on November 20.
ORDERS FROM THE TOP
Tarcísio de Freitas is the hard-line, populist ex-soldier elected as Sao Paulo’s governor in January 2023 – and widely touted as a presidential candidate for 2026.
His election campaign boiled with violent rhetoric, and he took a strong stance against the use of police body cams.
Camila said body cams reduced police killings by two thirds between 2019 and 2022, before de Freitas defunded them.
The human rights activist also points to one very dangerous appointment de Frietas made.
The attacks come precisely from those who should defend the people.
Father Julio Lancellotti
He promoted a man called Guilherme Derrite to the head of Public Security.
Camila said: “When Derrite was a police officer, he gave an interview – and you can watch it. He said that a good cop had to have at least three murders on his CV.”
Derrite has a fearsome reputation, and used to be part of ROTA – a military police battalion in the city infamous for its trail of death.
He was previously investigated for 16 deaths during ROTA operations he was involved in, according to the magazine Piauí.
And he also once bragged to a podcaster that he was booted out of the force for “killing too many bandits”.
Camila explained that the language spewed by the leaders would have been “understood as an order” by officers on the ground – even if they were not directly instructed to shoot on sight.
She said: “There’s a lot of interviews of police officers, who don’t want to be identified, saying: ‘Yes, we understood that as an order.’ It’s really about the leaders and the authorities that are in charge at the moment.”
BACKWARDS STEP
From 2019 to 2022, Sao Paulo seemed to have turned a corner as the number of people killed by police was slashed by two thirds.
So for Camila, who is committed to protecting Sao Paulo’s downtrodden, the regression to blood-bath streets is unbearable.
She said: “This is my state. I was finally seeing Sao Paulo deal with its lethal police force. To see all that work thrown into the garbage by the new governor is really desperate.”
And she doesn’t believe that the words of leaders promising to change are genuine – but rather driven by a need to protect their public image.
So far we have got just empty words and empty promises – because nothing changed.
Camila Asano, Connectas
On the arrest of the cop who threw Marcelo off the bridge, Camila said: “This case was very visible, and the governor and the secretary said: ‘There’s going to be an example of punishment and holding this officer accountable.’
“But we’re not talking about only the officer who did the throwing. That kind of action would have come down as an order. If you really want to solve this case, you have to go up the whole chain of command.
“There are so many other cases that don’t get visibility,” she said.
She also said that the killing is not random: “We are operating here in Brazil in a very racist context. For every three people that are killed, two of them are black.
“The people dying are black people in poor areas.”
Sao Paulo is important because the attitude there has the potential to spread nationwide, she said.
THE STATS
Between January and September 2024, police killed 496 people in São Paulo, according to data from the State Department of Public Security (SSP).
That’s 75 per cent up on the same period the previous year.
Some 130 of those victims died in the state’s capital, Sao Paulo city, and 109 in the Baixada Santista coastal area – staggeringly high for a population of just 1.7million.
For comparison, just one person was killed by police in London during that time.
The run of eye-catching violence late last year grabbed the world’s attention – but did not appear out of the blue.
It came in the wake of two of Sao Paulo’s most lethal ever police operations – dubbed Escudo [Shield] and Verão [Summer] – that killed 28 and 56 civilians respectively between July 2023 and March 2024.
Both of these were as “revenge” for ROTA cops being killed.
And there is no mystery surrounding why more people are dying.
Camila said: “Not only did de Frietas say in public that body cams were useless, but there was a 37% reduction in investment in them in 2023.”
These “useless” cameras – alongside other measures – had overseen a 63 per cent reduction in police killings between 2019 and 2022.
EMPTY PROMISES
The above cases were reported across the globe, and piled serious pressure on de Frietas to promise change.
Camila said: “After the cases of the medical student, the bridge and the little boy – he had to give a response to Sao Paulo’s society.
“It was really damaging his image, so he was forced to recognise some mistakes, but so far we have got just empty words and empty promises – because nothing changed.”
One step Camila and others want to see is the scrapping of a dud police regulator de Freitas set up.
The original regulator was doing too good a job of holding police abuses to account, so “de Frietas decided to set up another one”, Camila said.
She continued: “He created a parallel ombudsman for the police, linked directly to Derrite, without any kind of independence. This reassures police they will not be held accountable over abuses and illegal killings.
“But even after all the pressure, even after he recognised there were mistakes, he hasn’t revoked that yet.”
Camila also says that, if de Freitas was serious about changing Sao Paulo’s path, he would sack trigger-happy Derrite and commit to properly enforcing body cams.
But instead, de Frietas is reaffirmed his support for the brutal secretary, and is replacing all the body cams with new ones that do not run all the time.
FIGHT BACK
Organisations like Conectas are committed to shining a light onto the streets and chasing up on promise of change.
The group took the case for mandatory police body cams to the Supreme Court in December and won, meaning cops must wear one.
In December, over 80 NGOs signed a letter to the Organization of American States to sound the alarm about the growing brutality under de Freitas.
The church joined the chorus – and warned that police were adopting a motto that has lurked within Brazilian politics for years: “The only good bandit is a dead bandit.”
Father Julio Lancellotti said: “There’s an institutionalised kind of violence against the poor, against those who don’t have any protection.”
He added that the attacks “come precisely from those who should defend the people.
“It looks like that form of managing violence is planned, justified and deliberately implanted.”
Franciscan Father David Santos, an activist in Sao Paulo, told Catholic news site Crux: “Derrite and Tarcisio have been winning elections with the support of uninformed people.
“The inhumane solution is to kill the Blacks and the poor, who disturb the rich. That’s a strong cause of the rise in police lethality.”
Moment man sparks huge car blaze using cigarette lighter – but mistakenly sets HIMSELF alight & runs around in panic
A VANDAL who set a parked car on fire has been filmed accidentally setting himself alight before appearing panic-stricken as he struggled to snuff the flames.
Footage shows the man holding a cigarette lighter and a jerry can approaching a vehicle on a residential street, in the early hours of Friday morning.
Donning a hoodie and gloves, the unidentified male appears to pour liquid from a jerry can onto the rear window of a stationary car.
As the alarm sounds, the man seems unperturbed and reaches for a lighter.
Within seconds the vehicle appears to burst into flames from the ignition site as a striking light overwhelms the footage.
As the man steps back from the glowing fire, his clothes seem to have caught alight.
Leaving the sirens and ongoing blaze, the crook can be seen moving quickly as he attempts to extinguish himself.
He momentarily runs off screen before returning to hop onto a push bike to make his getaway.
The lit wreckage continues to burn scarily close to other vehicles on either side.
Locals were likely unknowingly asleep just metres from the fire with the scene taking place in front of residential properties.
The footage cuts out before anyone appears to put out the fire.
According to the timestamp on the video, the incident took place around 1:39 in the early hours of February 14.
The clip has been posted on social media with the caption: “Man sets someone’s car on fire with a jerry can and lighter, almost setting himself on fire in the process (Walthamstow).”
It has already been viewed nearly 40k times and has been shared nearly 100 times.
The Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade have been approached for comment.
It comes after a Love Island star narrowly escaping death after his supercar burst into flames.
In an unrelated incident, Danny Bibby, 28, described how he was driving his McLaren 720S at 30mph.
The clothing brand owner and former plumber jumped out and tried to extinguish the flames himself, but said the luxury vehicle “exploded in his face”.
Danny – who was shaken but miraculously escaped without injury – told his social media followers that he had no choice but to step back and watch his “dream car burn to the ground”.
Ex-islander Danny, who is from Wigan, shocked fans as he recorded flames ripping through his four-week-old McLaren on the roadside.
He captioned the footage: “How’s your Monday?”
Maura Higgins sings about ‘broken hearts’ after taking cheating swipe at ex Pete Wicks
MAURA Higgins has belted out a Whitney Houston anthem about broken hearts following her split from Pete Wicks.
The Irish beauty, 34, watched the Queen of the Night tribute concert in London on Saturday night and enjoyed some of the late singer’s biggest hits.
Among them were heartbreak anthems I Will Always Love You and Where Do Broken Hearts Go.
She could be heard singing along to the latter as she filmed the big-voiced impersonator on stage.
The night out followed Maura’s stinging Valentine’s Day jibe at ex Pete.
We exclusively revealed how she was asked where Pete, 37, was as she left a restaurant and replied: “Dunno, probably cheating.”
In another thinly veiled nod to her love life troubles, Maura sent herself flowers on Valentine’s Day with a note that read: “To Me, Love Me.”
Meanwhile, glum-looking Pete was pictured with his mum in Essex. He wore a baseball cap bearing the cryptic words “smoke and mirrors”.
Maura and Strictly hunk Pete were in a relationship for months after knowing each other for six years. But it was revealed on Friday that they had split despite a romantic Christmas break in Ireland.
The evening after the news broke, the model slipped into a red mini-dress with rose motifs for a meal with her hairstylist pal Carl Bembridge at a restaurant in London’s Mayfair.
Neither Maura nor Pete have publicly commented about their separation but it was claimed they had a series of arguments.
A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Maura was suspicious of Pete and whether he might have been messing her around. There have been some rows over trust.
“Although they have both been coy about their relationship, she really liked him and saw a future.”
Maura told a podcast she “adored him”, while former Towie star Pete called her “super intelligent” and “incredibly witty”.
They had been caught sharing a kiss during a Soho dinner in August and in October they were spotted in another clinch after a date in Shoreditch, East London.
They were snogging again later that month at the Pride of Britain awards after-party at Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane.
They never made their romance official and were apart in November and December while Maura was on ITV’s I’m A Celeb.
Confiding to jungle campmate GK Barry, she said: “Well, we’ve already been papped, tongues down each other’s necks, and we had no idea. The funniest part was I had a vape in one hand and a cigarette in the other, living my best life.”
Masked Singer fans call for stars to ‘release single’ after incredible duet performance
THE grand finale of The Masked Singer dazzled audiences and prompted them to call for a special duet between two stars.
Last year’s champion returned and wowed crowds with a rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse Of The Heart alongside Pufferfish.
McFly‘s Danny Jones returned as Piranha and replaced judge Mo Gilligan on the panel for the Saturday night final.
Fans took to social media to declare how impressed they were.
One inspired viewer wrote: “Wow – this was amazing. I’m covered in goosebumps! Piranha and Pufferfish – what a duet.”
A second begged: “Please record this version at McFly HQ.”
A third requested: “You and Pufferfish need to release that duet. Phenomenal.”
“That Total Eclipse of the Heart duet by Pufferfish and Piranha should be released as a single.”
“Congratulations, @SamanthaBarks, truly deserving, absolutely fantastic voice. Now we just need a duet with @itsDannyJones,” proposed a fan.
Another mirrored: “Congratulations on winning #maskedsingeruk Please record a song together with @itsDannyJones That was such a beautiful duet.”
“If they don’t release this as single together they’ll be missing out,” echoed a fan.
“Please tell me this will be released as a single!!!!!” pressed another.
The Masked Singer crowned its latest winner with Pufferfish being unmasked as a major theatre star.
Fans of the ITV guessing game were left stunned when it was confirmed that Pufferfish was in fact the West End’s leading lady, Samantha Barks.
She beat off competition from Dressed Crab and Wolf who were also revealed to be major stars.
The show’s panel – Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama and guest judge Danny Jones – were left in awe when Samantha took off her mask to finally confirm her identity.
Speaking after she was unmasked, the star said to the panel: “I’ve had the best time, I’ve had the best time. Underneath the mask I’ve been smiling the whole time.”
Samantha, 34, rose to fame in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s BBC talent show I’d Do Anything.
The programme searched for an actress to play Nancy in a revival of Oliver!
She made her film debut in the 2012 adaptation of Les Miserables, starring Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.
More recently, she has become the biggest West End star since Elaine Page and is famed for playing Elsa in the theatre production of Frozen.
Finishing a close runner-up to Samantha was Dressed Crab who turned out to be soul and jazz star Gregory Porter.
I’m 26 & my man is 87 – he’s older than my grandad but we won’t listen to trolls who call our marriage a ‘business plan’
A COUPLE have eagerly hit back at rude trolls who criticise their 61 year age gap relationship.
Despite having more than six decades between them, Miracle Pogue, 26, and her husband Charles, 87, have been happily married for the last three years and won’t listen to nasty haters.
The couple, who are hoping to have two children through IVF, are constantly hit with mean abuse from keyboard warriors online – with some even slamming their marriage as a ‘business plan’.
But Miracle and Charles, who first met when Miracle began working at a local laundrette in Starkville, Mississippi, have taken to social media to prove that despite what people might think, they are happier than ever.
Posting online, Miracle shared a short clip of the couple dancing in their home.
Miracle wore a matching co-ord and a pair of slip-on sandals, whilst Charles looked smart in a blue shirt, shorts and trainers with long socks.
Partaking in the viral ‘left right challenge’, the age cap couple confidently performed the trending dance.
Alongside the clip, Miracle wrote: “When [you’re] happily married and unbothered.”
But the TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @mnigeria98, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly gone viral and racked up 1.7 million views.
And social media users were left totally divided over the short video – whilst some were extremely complimentary of the couple, mean trolls were also out in full force.
One person said: “How adorable.”
Another added: “I love it.”
A third commented: “I love this for you guys. Society always has something to say about people’s happiness and to me that speaks volumes of people’s misery.”
However, at the same time, one keyboard warrior claimed: “Must be the money.”
A second chimed in: “I know a business plan when I see one.”
Whilst someone else questioned: “You mean happily waiting to cash out?”
Miracle reveals all
Talking about their relationship, Miracle previously told Kennedy News: “I knew he was older but I didn’t know his age exactly. When I found out I was in too deep, it was a couple of months in and I already had feelings for him.
“He was my baby and he wasn’t going anywhere.
“I don’t care if he’s 100 or 55, I like him for him. I thought he was maybe 60 or 70 because he looks so good. He’s always up and active.”
I know a business plan when I see one
TikTok user
As well as this, Miracle also added: “We prepare for things and he says he might not be here in five years. I tell him he will and he’ll outlive us all.
“I know realistically I’ll be around longer than him so I try to live and have fun and experience as much as I can with him. We try to live it up.”
Unfortunately, Miracle’s family weren’t so keen on the match, with her father questioning whether to attend the pair’s wedding.
She continued: “My grandad said if I was happy and it’s what I want to do then he’s happy. My dad was like “hell no ma’am, not at all”.
“’It took a lot of time to convince him but I asked him if he wanted to lose his daughter forever. If he didn’t come to my wedding, he would have lost me forever.
“’I told him I needed his support and to walk me down the aisle. Once he got to meet Charles and talk to him, he loved him.”
A-list age gap relationships that have stood the test of time
- Kris Jenner & Corey Gamble – 25 years
The Kardashian matriarch, 69, met her younger man, 44, at a mutual friend’s 40th birthday party in Ibiza. They’ve been together since August 2014. - Sam & Aaron Taylor-Johnson – 23 years
The director, 57, and actor, 34, reportedly met at a film audition in 2009, and were married by 2012. The pair share two daughters and Sam has two children from a previous marriage. - Rosie-Huntington-Whiteley & Jason Statham – 20 years
The model, 37, started dating actor Jason, 57, in 2010. They were wed in 2016 and have since welcomed a son and a daughter together. - Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas – 25 years
Catherine, 55, was introduced to Michael, 80, a film festival in 1996 and engaged three years later. Shortly after their engagement, the couple welcomed a son and married in 2000.
And despite the 61 years between them, Miracle and Charles are desperate to have two children of their own.
She explained: “I want him to have another generation.
“We’re looking to go to an IVF clinic to talk about our options. We went to an IVF clinic before but we really felt the pre-judgment even though they don’t know me and it was quite overwhelming.
“Now I’m forgetting it as long as they give me my baby.
“Maybe Charles’s age will stop us from having children but I have an open mind. It may not work.”
As well as this, Charles addressed the hate the couple often receive, as he explained: “Miracle has got a lot going for her. She’s got her life in order, she’s great.
“There’s no problem with the age difference. People making comments online doesn’t make a difference, we just let them do their thing.
“We’re very happy together. We’re looking forward to starting a family together.”
Meanwhile, the pair recognise that their relationship has sparked a huge debate online, as Miracle expressed: “People on the internet make me feel weird.
There’s no problem with the age difference. People making comments online doesn’t make a difference, we just let them do their thing
Charles
“I get backlash from people who don’t know me or love me, they just call it as they see it. I posted my man online and it blew further than I could even imagine.
“People were saying I’m using Charles, he doesn’t know what’s going on and saying I should be ashamed.
“Of course, people mention finances but I’m a nurse. I was starting medical school when I met him.
“I will be well off with or without Charles, it’s a choice to be with him and it makes me feel good that he chooses me.”
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