A seasonal pick up in missed home loan payments lifted home loans arrears - in loans on prime, mortgage backed securities - to 0.98 per cent at December 2015, Standard & Poor's said.Regional trends reflect common themes in the Australian economy. S&P said New South Wales recorded the largest year-on-year improvement in arrears, which fell by more than 16 per cent, in hand with a large decline in unemployment. Western Australia recorded the largest year-on-year increases in arrears and unemployment, linked to the slowdown in the mining industry.