UK house prices rise for third month in a row to near record high

Halifax says rising pay and falling interest rates help make mortgages more affordable for some homebuyers

• Business live - latest updates

UK house prices climbed for the third month in a row in September to about 200 short of a record high as rising worker pay and falling interest rates helped make mortgages more affordable for some homebuyers, according to a leading index.

Data released by Halifax, Britain's biggest mortgage lender, showed that prices climbed by 0.3% last month, extending a streak of rising prices that began in July. The month-on-month increase matches the 0.3% rise recorded in August.