It has teamed up with My Safe Home Ltd, which has helped 1,400 individuals become homeowners since 1997 through a government-backed initiative called Home Ownership for People with Long-Term Disabilities (HOLD).

This shared-ownership-style deal allows applicants to purchase a share of their home and pay the rent on the rest.

Now Dudley will be helping provide the mortgages, which will be on an interest-only basis. The society said it would lend up to 90% of the share with a term that can exceed 30 years. Mortgages would be redeemed when the properties were sold.

Sam Ward, commercial director at Dudley Building Society, said: “Working closely with My Safe Home helps us honour one of the fundamental cornerstones of our social strategy and underlines our efforts to serve those parts of the population that aren’t served by the wider lending market.

“We have been hugely impressed with the work being done by My Safe Home to provide the means by which people with a long term disability can own their own home and feel that we can help My Safe Home to make a real difference.”

David Abbey, managing director at My Safe Home Limited, added: “We’re delighted to be working with Dudley Building Society. Its invaluable support really will help to change the lives of people with disabilities forever. Saying you’re there for everyone in the communities you serve is one thing but truly living up to this commitment is what matters and by supporting HOLD, Dudley Building Society is doing just that.”