The number of repossessions is soaring as increasing numbers of homeowners – through no fault of their own – find themselves either unemployed or financially squeezed.

It is a disgrace that decent, hard-working people are being thrown out of their homes, which is why this newspaper is crusading for mortgage lenders to give a 12-month amnesty to families who are in difficulties.

In today’s Pre-Budget Report, Alistair Darling is expected to announce that homeowners who fall behind with their mortgage repayments will be given three months’ grace before repossession proceedings are started.

This effectively overturns a recent High Court ruling that mortgage lenders can take over a borrower’s home if just two payments are not met.

The Chancellor’s three-month deadline is some respite but it is far from being in the spirit of the Government’s original demand that banks should seize people’s homes only as a last resort.

Mr Darling is desperately hoping that today’s measures will encourage Britain to go on a pre-Christmas spending spree to get the economy moving.

But people who are worried that they may soon not have a roof over their heads will be in no mood to splash out on seasonal fun.