Homelessness

One in three people could not pay their rent or mortgage for more than a month if they lost their job, homeless charity Shelter has revealed.

According to the survey, 3.9 million British families may be just one pay cheque away from losing their family home.

It found that just over a third of respondents, equivalent to 8.6 million people, could not pay their rent or mortgage from their savings for more than a month. Even more worryingly, nearly a fifth, equivalent to 4.4 million people, wouldn’t be able to pay their rent or mortgage at all if they couldn’t secure a new job immediately.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Millions are living on the edge of a crisis, only secure in their homes for a matter of weeks.”