The biggest obstacle facing first-time buyers is still raising the requite money for a deposit.

88% of brokers polled by NatWest Intermediary Solutions identified this as the most pressing issue with only 4% citing poor credit ratings and 3% the affordability of monthly interest repayments.

Brokers said that the biggest obstacle people faced when it came to looking to move house was having insufficient equity built up in their existing property or carrying negative equity. Next came the affordability of increased monthly repayments cited by 17%, followed by Stamp Duty at 13% and poor credit ratings at 12%. Only 7% thought that future concerns over house prices would prove to be a deterrent to homemovers.

Graham Felstead, head of intermediary channel, NatWest Intermediary Solutions said: “Unsurprisingly