by Jessica Banham

The number of people at risk of losing their home in Kent has DROPPED, according to new figures.

Research by the homeless charity Shelter has shown that in 2010/2011, 2,430 repossession claims were issued to people across Kent and Medway.

But for the year 2011/2012 that figure fell to 2220 - a drop of around 10%.

Rachel Orr, campaigns manager at Shelter, said: “It may be that people are managing to keep their jobs or employment is looking better than it was a year ago. A lot of people have realised that times are hard and are cutting back on things.”

In June, unemployment fell in Kent for the third month in a row - down to 36, 934, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.

Ms Orr continued: “The fact that mortgage and interest rates have generally stayed low is helpful for households as well and the longer they do for a number of households the better.”

But the research also revealed several places in Kent are still repossession hotspots for the South East.

Three of the top 10 places in the region for issuing the most repossession claims last year were in Kent, including Medway, Gravesend and Dartford.

Ms Orr concluded: “Repossessions can happen to anyone, it just takes one small change in your circumstances, whether that’s an increase in your mortgage payments or scaling back the number of hours you’re able to work.”