Renowned Sindhi poet Dr Aakash Ansari tragically lost his life in a mysterious fire at his residence in Citizen Colony, Hyderabad, on Saturday, February 15, 2025. The incident has sparked widespread grief and calls for an investigation into the cause of the fire. As reported. a fire erupted at the residence of Dr Akash Ansari …
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The Sindh government has declared a public holiday on February 19, 2025, to commemorate the annual Urs of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. This decision was made through a notification by the Services, General Administration, and Coordination Department. As a result, all government and semi-government offices, along with educational institutions across Sindh, will remain closed on that day. …
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A significant number of Jewish leaders and activists in the United States have publicly condemned President Donald Trump’s proposal to remove Palestinians from Gaza. This condemnation was expressed through a full-page advertisement in The New York Times, signed by more than 350 rabbis and dozens of prominent Jewish figures, including Tony Kushner, Ilana Glazer, Naomi …
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Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip as part of the sixth prisoner exchange under a fragile ceasefire agreement with Israel. The hostages, identified as Sagui Dekel-Chen (Israeli-American), Sasha Trupanov (Israeli-Russian), and Yair Horn (Israeli-Argentinian), were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. …
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A recent deadly collision between an SUV and a car on the Indus Highway has resulted in the loss of five lives, including Zain Turabi, the son of Allama Turabi. On Friday, a head-on collision between an SUV and a car occurred on the Indus Highway near Manjhand in Jamshoro district. Witnesses reported that the …
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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…
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.”
Alongside low deposit mortgages, there are other schemes to help first-time buyers move into 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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 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.
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 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.
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.
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‘.
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.”
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.
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.
