The number of residential mortgage accounts in arrears of 90 days or less increased between February and March, according to new figures from the Department of Finance.

A total of 26,242 mortgage accounts were in arrears of 90 days or less at the end of March, up from 25,579 at the end of February.

However, the number of private-dwelling accounts in arrears of greater than 90 days fell by 1,133 to 58,005 in March.

This meant the overall number of residential mortgage accounts in arrears declined in March.

Mortgages in arrears of greater than 720 days also increased, from 28,936 at the end of February to 29,061 at the end of March, and make up approximately 34 per cent of all accounts in arrears.

There was a rise in the number of split mortgages at the end of March with 22,344 in place, an increase of 628 on the previous month.

Split mortgages involve part of the loan being warehoused for repayment at a later date, while the borrower meets agreed payments on the other portion of the mortgage.

The most common form of restructuring is arrears capitalisation with 28,699 cases in place at the end of March. This is an increase of almost 2,000 cases since December 2014.

The number of buy-to-let mortgage accounts in arrears at the end of March has fallen by 435 accounts when compared to the end of February, and stood at 28,168 accounts.

There was a decrease of 546 in the number of accounts in arrears of greater than 90 days, which stood at 22,974 at end March 2015.