FREE on-the-day legal advice is available to East Lancashire residents facing repossessions or eviction hearings at court.

The Government has secured funding for four legal help desks in courts in Pendle, Rossendale, Hyndburn and Burnley, which are now currently up and running.

The service and representation through court desks is just one of a range of help measures introduced by the Government to protect people’s homes.

In areas where it has already been set up it has helped prevent immediate repossession action when people attend court.

Housing Minister John Healey made the announcement of the service on Monday after the Council of Mortgage Lenders revealed it had revised its forecast of repossessions for 2009 downwards from 75,000 to 65,000.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders said a range of Government and industry initiatives meant that more people were making contact with their lenders and in most cases getting help.

Mr Healey said: “It is real backstop help for those closest to the point of losing their home.

“All’s not lost, even in court. In four out of five cases, the court desk advisers stop immediate repossession or eviction.

"Over the last year we’ve seen this work to help people keep their homes, so I’m doubling the extra money to support this service to £1.5million.”

Mr Healey added: “Court is close to, but not the end of the line.

“And the Government has put in place help at each step before that to help prevent repossession.”

More than 200,000 families each month are getting help with their mortgage interest or getting free Government funded advice from their local council.

Lenders must now treat customers fairly, using repossession as a last resort.

The Government has also put in place a special schemes for some of the most vulnerable, elderly and disabled people at risk of having their home repossessed.

Recent Ministry of Justice figures for the first three months of 2009 show a forty per cent drop in lenders bringing repossession claims to court.