The mutual adds this follows a record-breaking year for mortgage loans in 2020, on the back of strong demand from its two main customer groups – teachers and complex borrowing clients.

It says: “Despite an effective closure of the housing market in the first half of 2020 when the nation locked down to fight covid-19, the mutual continued lending to teachers who were largely unaffected by the pandemic.”

The building society says it continued lending at up to 95% loan to value throughout the pandemic to its key teacher audience, and supported by complex lending solutions.

This resulted in 9.4% growth in its mortgage book over the 12 months ending in December 2020, followed by a “strong first six months of 2021”, through its direct and broker channels.

Teachers Building Society chief executive Simon Beresford says: “There has been continued high demand for our mortgages over the last 18 months, resulting in a record-breaking full-year performance during 2020 followed by first-half lending that has surpassed any levels previously seen by the society.

“The majority of our lending has been to teachers but we’ve also seen strong and sustained demand for our complex lending solutions from the intermediary market.

He adds: “With no let up in demand we look forward to helping even more borrowers secure new homes during the second half of the year during which we anticipate our performance being equally strong.”