Nearly 2,900,000 people are one paycheck away from being homeless, new data shows
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Millions of people who rent are just one paycheque away from being homeless, a charity has warned. Shelter estimates that 1.7 million private renters don’t have enough savings to pay rent if they found themselves unemployed. This happened to software developer Emma Harris, 49, from Birmingham who was made redundant in August.
She receives Universal Credit of £600, but rent for her three-bedroom house is £995, excluding bills. Currently she is in rent arrears of more than £2,000. She told Metro: ‘It is a continuous struggle. It is very depressing trying to balance whether I eat or pay bills.
![[Empty cardboard boxes outside Foxtons in London, following a protest against soaring rents. Organised by the London Renters Union (LRU) who have said there is a growing wave of renter-led demonstrations across Europe to highlight the impact of high rents and to demand controls. Picture date: Saturday December 14, 2024. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_233194408-d140.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
‘Since being made redundant, I’ve been paying my bills late including the phone and internet bill. ‘I’ve had to reduce the amount of rent I pay because I’ve got to eat.’. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the average rent across the UK increased by 9.1% to £1,362 for the 12 months ending in November 2024.
This is reflected through Shelter’s own stats that show 56% of private renters had their rent increased in the last year – putting immense strain on people’s finances. Of these, one in three have had their rent increased by more than £100. This is an issue experienced by Emma, who says her rent was increased, which on top of losing her job, has impacted her lifestyle.
She said: ‘I used to have certain hobbies like woodturning but I had to abandon that. ‘I meet up with friends very rarely now so I experience isolation and always have to decide whether paying for petrol and driving is cheaper or using public transport.
