Lunchtime news March 15

The Telegraph looks at the prospects of the sub-prime lending crisis in the US spreading to the UK and concludes that “Britain’s sub-prime sector now outstrips its American counterpart in relative terms”.

A Stockport man whose mortgage arrears spiralled to £165,000 in 12 years is set to be given his home after the High Court ruled the Nat West left it too long to repossess him, reports the Telegraph.

The 4,000 staff of upmarket estate agent Savills are to share a £125m bonus, with some getting more than £1m each, reports the Mail.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published new research by Duncan Maclennan calling for radical propsoals to improve housing for low-income households. He highlights in particular the growth of tenancies dependent on housing benefit in the private rented sector and the widening wealth gap between owners and renters.

The National Housing Federation has launched an outspoken attack on Npower for what it claims is hypocrisy. It says the gas and electricity supplier is supporting Comic Relief to seem like a caring company at the same time as it is “fleecing” its poorest customers with pre-payment meters.