A COUNCIL has teamed up with insurance brokers to offer its tenants an affordable home insurance scheme.

Sedgefield Borough Council has joined insurance brokers Marsh, and Royal and Sun Alliance to deliver a home contents insurance scheme under the umbrella of the Northern Housing Consortium.

The Simple Insurance Tenants Contents Scheme offers affordable insurance to people who are unemployed or in receipt of benefits.

Colin Steel, the council's director of housing services, said: "We are delighted that we have been able to get this scheme off the ground.

"It is a real breakthrough for tenants who will now have the choice of selecting the cover that suits them at economical rates, with additional reductions built in for senior citizens."

Examples of cover include weekly payments from £1.51 to insure household contents to the value of £9,000.

Tenants aged over 60 can get £6,000-worth of cover from £1.01 per week.

Louise Nokes, development executive for Marsh, said: "The partners are delighted to welcome Sedgefield Borough Council as participants to the scheme, which offers an invaluable service and gives tenants peace of mind at a reasonable cost. It also provides them with easy access to financial services."

Benefits of the scheme include a nil policy excess, and no additional household security measures are required.

Payments can be made weekly or monthly at any post office, or monthly by direct debit.

Application forms are available at local area housing offices or by telephoning Royal and Sun Alliance on 08457 337788.