Lunchtime news June 12

Mortgage interest payments are at their highest level against incomes in 15 years, according to Council of Mortgage Lenders figures released this morning. First-time buyers now pay 18.7% of their incomes, the same as in the first quarter of 1992. Although this is still below the peak of 28.1 seen in 1990, 58% of today’s first-time buyers now have to pay stamp duty too.

The figures came the day after a speech by Bank of England governor Mervyn King warning that rates will rise again. Today’s papers, including the Telegraph, report that as suggesting they will rise from the current 5.5% to 6%.

Doctors, teachers, employers, churches and trade unions are among 24 groups that have joined a coalition organised by Shelter Scotland that will take the case for housing to Scottish politicians tomorrow. They are all backing a call for 30,000 rented homes over the next three years.

London’s largest housing associations say they are using their surpluses to support vital community projects while trebling their investment in new homes over the last 10 years and cutting the government grant rate from 68% to 52%. A report launched yesterday by the G15 group counters a study for the Housing Corporation that said large associations have billons of pounds in untapped capacity that should be going into new homes.

Over 40% of first-time buyers have never heard of affordable housing schemes and only 15% know if they qualify for one, according to a survey by property website What House. When prompted, 60% say the schemes should be open to anyone on the minimum wage and 40% think single parent families should qualify.

The Independent reports on prototype zero carbon homes on show at the Building Research Establishment.

In his Guardian column, George Monbiot attacks Olympics organisers for evicting travellers to make way for the games