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Lloyds TSB has launched a new mortgage designed to bring the housing ladder within reach for first-time buyers.

The three-year product, called "Lend a Hand", offers first-time buyers a 95% loan to value (LTV) mortgage at 4.39% by taking a legal charge on a savings account belonging to their parents.

The Energy Saving Trust is urging DIY-shy householders to brush up on their skills this bank holiday to not only improve their homes but also make significant cash savings.

The UK’s leading organisation set up to help people fight climate change reveals that Britons could collectively save the nation around £220million and 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (tCO2) by doing some handywork.

Secured loans are rapidly moving from endangered species to virtual extinction after another lender this week joined the long list of providers to pull out of the second charge secured loan market.

Just Nemo Personal Loans, Ocean Money and Secure Trust Ban remain.

More evidence has emerged of a shortage of high-end properties continuing to skew the housing market.

Cliff Gardiner, Partner of upmarket property search consultancy, The Buying Solution’s London team, said: "There is still a very short supply of good quality properties available to purchase on the open market in London - indeed the recent Knight Frank Residential research report found 28% less residential property on the market year on year.

A group of London companies controlled by the now bankrupt Spencer Michael that promised to help investors become instant millionaires has been wound up in the High Court on grounds of public interest following an investigation by Companies Investigation Branch (CIB).

Potential investors were invited to attend free "Secrets 2 Success" seminars advertised with the line "no risk, no effort" and were encouraged to join with "little or no money" an "Instant Millionaire Programme." They were told they could learn more about becoming a property millionaire by attending further seminars described as "Negotiate 2 Win" at a cost of £1000, the "No Money Down" course at a cost of £2000 and the "Freedom 2 Fortune" course at a cost of £4000.

Some people who attended these seminars then went on to borrow money, sometimes on their credit cards, and employed the services of the companies to invest in buy-to-let property.

Local residents are being invited to hear more about E.ON's plans for a new onshore wind farm near Knottingley at two exhibitions to be held later this month.

The proposed Ferrybridge wind farm would see the construction of up to nine turbines with a generation capacity of between 18MW and 22.5MW. The exhibitions will feature details about the proposal and are due to be held on 27th May at Brotherton Parish Hall and on 28th May at Monk Fryston and Hillam Community Centre.

The Law Society is urging home sellers to check the real cost of their Home Information Pack (HIP) with their estate agent to avoid inflated costs.

The warning comes after a Channel 4 News investigation found evidence that more than £100 could be being added to the price of HIPs because of secret payments to estate agents.

House prices in Scotland have continued to fall in the latest quarter, according to the Scottish House Price Monitor from Lloyds TSB Scotland.

In the three months to 30 April 2009, the quarterly price index for the average domestic property in Scotland fell by 4.3% to give an average mix adjusted Scottish house price of £148,990.

The housing market may be suffering - but there is still demand for high-quality homes worldwide.

High-end property experts Charles Oliver said it had received a noticeable increase in browsers to its website and phone calls from those seriously interested in buying since the beginning of 2009.

UK consumers have achieved a saving of a million tonnes of CO2 while also cutting household bills by £200million, reports the Together campaign.

The campaign makes it easier for consumers to fight climate change in their daily lives by providing affordable products and services in partnership with some of the biggest names on the UK high street.