Claims by the Housing Minister, John Healey, that repossession of houses was “the best thing” for some of those unable to keep up their mortgage payments have been described as “grossly insensitive” by Shelter.

Last year there were 46,000 repossessions, the highest since 1995, and Shelter’s chief executive, Campbell Robb, commented “Behind each of these numbers is a heartbreaking story of a family losing their home and having to rebuild their lives”

According to the Daily Telegraph Mr Healey’s own heartbreaking story is that he made a profit of £88,000 on a London flat that was subsidised by the taxpayer for at least five years, that he claimed £1431 to replace his front door and that he over claimed more than £2000 in mortgage interest.