One in ten private renters at risk of eviction this winter, survey shows
New research from homelessness charity Shelter has suggested that one in ten private renters in England – equivalent to 814,000 adults – are now at risk of losing their homes.
The figure rises to an estimated 1.1 million people when including children in the households.
To calculate how many people are threatened with losing their home this winter, Shelter looked at the number of private renting adults who have received or been threatened with an eviction notice in the last month (474,000), as well as the number of tenants who are behind on their rent (411,000), which puts their home in danger.
The survey, conducted by YouGov and funded by Nationwide Building Society, showed that rocketing rents and rising evictions have left millions of private renters in England fearing the worst, with 3.5 million tenants (43%) saying they are now worried about becoming homeless due to housing costs.
Shelter said the severe lack of affordable social homes means millions of struggling households are trapped trying to pay record high rents and keep a roof over their heads, a situation it said is being made much worse by the government’s nearly four-year freeze on housing benefit, which has left any support available falling far short of the cost of actual rents.
The charity’s findings also show:
- More than two in five (43%) private renters who are struggling or behind with their rent – equivalent to 2.4 million adults – say this is due to the increase in payments
- More than three in ten (31%) – equivalent to 2.5 million adults – have borrowed money in order to pay their rent.
- One in seven (14%) – equivalent to 1.1 million adults – have had their rent put up in the last month
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: ‘A terrible winter of evictions lies ahead as millions of renters’ grapple with runaway rents and the enduring cost of living crisis. Every day our frontline teams take more calls from families living the nightmare of rent rises they cannot afford. And every day we speak to more families facing the horror of losing their home.
‘Shelter will continue to be there so that no-one has to weather this storm alone, but as more people are forced to turn to us, we need the public’s support more than ever. We also need the government to step in. With private rents rising faster than many people can cope with, the government must pull families back from the brink of homelessness by immediately unfreezing housing benefit so they can pay their rent and keep hold of their home.’
Image: Ian Schneider
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