According to the latest figures released, the total number of mortgage approvals granted to home buyers in the UK reached its highest level in six years during the month of December.

The British Bankers' Association (BBA) said that the mortgage borrowing reached its highest level since 2008 in 2013. The country's housing sector has recorded growth due to supportive schemes from the government. Demand for housing units remained much higher than availability and this pushed up prices across the UK including in southern England.

The data showed that 46,521 approvals for house purchase worth £7.7 billion were approved during the month of December, which is the highest since September 2007. The figure is about 42 per cent higher than December 2012, indicating that the people are increasing looking to acquire houses and increased confidence. The BBA also said that the gross mortgage borrowing rose to £110 billion in 2013.

BBA statistics director David Dooks said, "These figures show that mortgage lending grew strongly towards the end of last year. This provides further evidence of a more active housing market, helped by growing consumer confidence and Government support schemes such as Help to Buy."