The number of new affordable homes being registered by house-builders has increased by almost 120% in February 2013, according to the NHBC.

The figures show that the UK house-building industry in general has started 2013 well with 10,538 new homes registered around the country in February 2013 compared with 8,512 in February 2012.

Richard Tamayo, NHBC Commercial Director, said: “The big rise in new homes being registered – particularly affordable homes – is very encouraging news for Britain’s house-building industry which has been through a very difficult time in recent years.

“The dramatic rise in affordable homes is good news for first time buyers and social housing tenants. However, it is important that quality is not compromised in the rush to build these new houses before the Government’s April 2015 deadline.”

The main driver appears to be the Government’s £2.2bn Affordable Homes Programme which aims to deliver 170,000 new homes by April 2015. However NHBC also say that the figures indicate that current Government schemes such as NewBuy and Funding for Lending could now be boosting new house building.

Comparing the rolling quarter, the most recent figures up to and including February 2013 show a 21% increase in total registrations (Dec 12 to Feb 13 - 26,004) compared to the same three month period the previous year (Dec 11 to Feb 12 - 21,422).