A number of tenants are now struggling to pay rent due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, according to new research. 

Around five million households in the UK live in private rented accommodation and many of these are starting to struggle to pay the bills after having their wages cut. 

Despite the government’s Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme, many employers are asking staff to reduce their hours, take a pay cut or to be furloughed, and this is having an adverse impact on those required to pay rent. 

Polling conducted by Opinium, on behalf of the Guardian, showed many renters are currently either already in or on the brink of a financial crisis, with one in six forced to seek extra financial help to stay afloat.

The survey found that six in 10 renters had suffered financially as a result of the UK-wide shutdown.

Of those, 20% had been forced to choose between food and bills or paying rent, while a quarter said they had already had to voluntarily leave their home, or request an earlier end to their tenancy because of the coronavirus crisis.

The findings of the survey suggest that government measures to support people who rent their homes, including a temporary ban on evictions, may not go far enough. 

Renters remain liable for their rent throughout the existing crisis.