The number of people who lost their homes rose during the third quarter compared to the first six months of the year, figures are expected to show.

Data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) is expected to show both rises in the number of people in the UK who are in mortgage arrears and the number who have had their homes repossessed during the three months.

Around 18,900 homes were taken over by lenders from January to June, according to the CML. This is the highest figure for 12 years, with the group estimating a total of 45,000 people will lose their homes during 2008.

The number of people who have handed over their property has been steadily increasing since 1996, and the figures are expected to continue to worsen as the economy further deteriorates and increasing numbers of people are made redundant.

If its prediction proves to be right, this would be the highest figure since 1995.

The Government has launched a range of initiatives to help people stay in their homes when they cannot keep up with mortgages.

These include enabling homeowners to sell their homes and rent them back from a social landlord, or enter into shared equity or shared ownership schemes on their properties.

A new pre-action protocol also came into force on Wednesday in which the courts must stop repossession actions unless all alternatives to keep people in their home have failed.

The figures published by the CML cover arrears and repossession data for its members across the UK.

The Ministry of Justice figures show the number of possession orders that have been made in courts in England and Wales by all lenders. Some of these orders are suspended and not all of them lead to a home being repossessed.

The Insolvency Service published figures earlier this month which showed that 27,087 people were made insolvent during the third quarter, 8.8% more than in the previous three months.

They also showed that a record 17,341 people were made bankrupt during the period on a seasonally adjusted basis.

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