Families at risk from high rent and low wages

A study by housing charity Shelter has warned that one in three families in England would be unable to pay their rent or mortgage for more than one month if they lost their job.

The study involved an online YouGov survey which questioned 8,381 adults, including 1,581 people in working families with children. The findings suggested that 27 per cent of such families were unable to cover their housing costs for more than a month with no job, while 23 per cent would be unable to pay their accommodations costs at all.

The charity attributed the risk to high housing costs and a lack of personal savings.

Campbell Robb, chief executive at Shelter, explained: “These figures are a stark reminder that sky-high housing costs are leaving millions of working families stretched to breaking point, and barely scraping by from one pay cheque to the next.”

A spokesman for the government said: "We are introducing the National Living Wage, increasing the personal tax allowance and giving the next generation choice and flexibility in their savings, including the Help to Save scheme for people on low incomes.

"We are continuing to spend around £90 billion a year on working age benefits to ensure a strong safety net for the most vulnerable.

"And for those who do fall on difficult times, there are strong protections in place to guard against the threat of homelessness, and ensure we don't return to the bad old days when homelessness in England was nearly double what it is today."