The number of home buyers getting mortgages rose for the fifth month in a row in November, hitting a 10-month high, according to the Bank of England.

The news comes a day after the Bank's Credit Conditions Survey concluded the new Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) would "significantly" increase the supply of money to borrowers.

The Bank's lending figures also showed people put more money on their credit cards in November, after an overall move to pay off debts the month before.

Mortgage approvals reached 54,036 in November, up from 53,071 in October.

They were also up 3.2% year-on-year from 52,373 in November 2011, as well as being well above the average monthly level of 50,772 seen through the first 11 months of 2012.

However, lending remains significantly lower than the long-term average of 85,773 a month since 1993.

Dr Howard Archer, Chief UK Economist at IHS, said recent signs of modestly improving housing market activity and the likely increasing beneficial impact of the FLS meant house prices would be broadly flat over 2013.

"We suspect that any significant, sustainable turnaround in house prices is still some way off, and is unlikely to occur in 2013," he said.

Unsecured lending showed a small increase of £61m November, following a net repayment of £343m in October.

November saw borrowing of £152m on credit cards, which followed a net repayment of £109m in October.

This outweighed a net repayment of £91m in other loans and advances, which was less than the net repayment of £234m in October.

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