According to data from Ascent, a field agency business for law firm Irwin Mitchell, the proportion of homeowners who paid off some of their mortgage arrears increased by 11.1% over the second quarter to 60.3%. This compares to 36% of homeowners who were paying debt back in Q3 of 2009, said Ascent.

It also found that out of the 60% who made a contribution towards their mortgage arrears, 4% cleared their arrears immediately, compared to 0.9% two years ago.

Significantly, those who have fallen behind with their mortgage in the past are also now paying back larger chunks of their defaulted debt.

Out of the 2,652 who received a visit or telephone call from a debt counsellor during Q2, almost 43% paid an amount back equivalent to or more than one month’s mortgage – a rise on the 37.5% who did the same during Q2 in 2011. Only 27% paid this amount in the last three months of 2009.

Niall Gilhooley, chief executive at Ascent, said: “Taking into account the levels of uncertainty in the economy and a fall in disposable income caused by falling wages and rising VAT, it is very pleasing and encouraging to see that homeowners are still more likely to accept a debt counselling visit and also pay off more of their arrears.

“It appears that despite financial hardship, families are doing all they can to hold on to their home.”

Irwin Mitchell analysed more than 24,000 households which have missed monthly mortgage payments and undergone debt counselling.