Mortgage lenders approved the highest number of home loans for first-time buyers and movers so far this year during June.

Data from banking trade body UK Finance shows there were 32,760 mortgage approvals for first-time buyers, up 6.1% between May and June 2019.

The number of approvals for home movers increased 9.6% on a monthly basis to 31,000.

However, the figures are down on last year, with first-time buyer approvals declining 1.5% annually and home movers seeing 3.5% fewer loans.

Buy-to-let approvals declined on a monthly and annual basis by 3.6%.

Commenting on the data, Richard Pike, sales and marketing director at Phoebus Software, said: “Given that the country has been in a state of flux for over three years it is hardly surprising that the figures year on year have dipped across the mortgage market sectors.

“When you consider that the mortgages in these June figures were more than likely for applications made in or around the original time we should have been leaving the EU, it is more surprising that the figures weren’t even lower.

“The buy-to-let figures are a concern, but as the next deadline for Brexit nears, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.

“One way or another we will have a resolution and, despite the government’s best efforts to curb buy-to-let, a resolution should mean that investors that have been holding fire will know whether or not investing in property is once again a viable proposition.

“We may be a nation of home owners but, when buying a home is so expensive, the need for rental accommodation remains as important as ever.”