Brussels sources say the prime minister has used officials to signal financial concessions

European Union negotiators have started drawing up the outlines of a future trade deal with Britain after receiving signals from the government that it would agree to pay more than €60bn (£53bn) for the “Brexit bill”.

Negotiators in Brussels say Theresa May will be able to claim a victory before Christmas as trade talks get going — but made clear the prime minister has used officials to signal financial concessions.

May’s Brexit adviser, Oliver Robbins, was told last week that EU officials need to see only a “single sentence” in writing to indicate Britain’s acceptance of budget commitments known as reste à liquider (RAL) and the UK’s share of the cost of MEP pensions and aid budgets.

May has already offered to pay €20bn during