A FREE event providing advice and information on affordable housing for people who want to get on the property ladder is due to be staged at Southampton's Civic Centre today.

City housing chiefs are currently working with housing associations to try and tackle the problem with a number of low cost schemes at Ocean Village, Bitterne and the city centre.

The event is being staged so staff can explain to residents on low incomes how they can gain access to the newly-built properties.

A number of schemes are already in operation in Southampton including:

Shared ownership which gains a foot on the housing ladder by part-renting and part-owning.

Shared equity - the applicant gets a mortgage for between 25 per cent and 75 per cent of the value of the home and the housing association retains a share of the selling price (the scheme is currently operating in Ocean Village and Vespasian Road in Bitterne).

Homebuy schemes enable council and housing association tenants and applicants on the council's housing register in full-time employment to buy a home of their own on the open market at just three-quarters of the asking price.

Key workers such as teachers, police officers and nurses are eligible for a Key Worker Living loan of up to £30,000 to help buy a property on the open market.

The scheme is run by Swaythling Housing Society. Also available are a number of newly-built schemes such as Spring Road, in Sholing, and Hill Lane, in Shirley.

Southampton City Council cabinet member for housing and homes, Councillor Paul Russell, said: "We are committed to ensuring that more people step on to the housing ladder and settle in Southampton, through our affordable schemes.

"With property prices too high for a lot of people to access, it is imperative that we continue to work with our housing partners to ensure that there is more affordable property in the city both to rent and to buy.

"The event will provide an opportunity for people to come in for an informal chat just to find out what we can offer and how we can help."

Lindsay Todd, chief executive of Swaythling Housing Society, added: "There is now a wider range of low cost home ownership options available than ever before, and we are very keen to get this message across.

"I do urge anyone interested in owning their own home, who thinks it is beyond them, to attend this event."