Mortgage approvals have risen for the third consecutive month, according to the latest Money and Credit statistics from the Bank of England.
The average interest rate paid on new mortgages fell for the first time since November 2021.
Net mortgage approvals for house purchases rose from 49,300 in November to 50,500 in December.
Net approvals for remortgaging with a different lender also increased from 25,700 in November to 30,800 in December.
Individuals repaid, on net, £0.8 billion of mortgage debt in December compared to net zero in November.
