Third of private renters would be unable to pay rent after job loss, warns Shelter

According to the charity, the number of renters who are one pay cheque away from losing their home is up by 31% in two years. 

The latest poll found that 55% of private renters have had their rent put up in the past year, while 2.1 million tenants (37%) are now struggling or behind with their rent due to the increase in payments.  

Shelter said the only sustainable, long-term alternative to expensive, unstable private renting was to build more social homes.

Additional research by the charity shows the benefits of social housing for local communities.

It found that more than three-quarters of social renters in England (76%) say they would not be able to afford to live in their local area without their social home. 

It also found that 67% of social renters say where they live feels like a safe, stable and secure home, while 53% say living in a social home enables them to stay close to family and friends.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Private renters up and down the country are facing a crisis like never before. 

“Decades of failure from government to build enough social housing means that the pressure on oversubscribed private renting is worse than ever.

“To jam the brakes on the housing emergency we need a genuinely affordable alternative to private renting.

“We know social housing works for most people because it’s secure and the rents are tied to local incomes.

“Instead of empty words, the government and every political party must sign up to building thousands more social homes,” Ms Neate added. 

Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, the campaign group, said the survey revealed a “painful truth”. 

“In such an uncertain economic climate, it is terrifying that over half of renters may not be able to find money to pay their rent if they were to suddenly lose their job.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “We have a strong track record of delivering affordable homes to rent and buy across the country. 

“Since 2010, we have delivered over 659,500 new affordable homes through our £11.5bn Affordable Homes Programme, including 166,300 homes for social rent.

“Our landmark Renters (Reform) Bill will also deliver a better deal for renters, giving tenants greater security in their homes and preventing large rent increases being used as a backdoor method of eviction.”