Campaigning charity Shelter claims that last month 482,000 private renters were behind on their rent.

It also claims that 504,000 people have either received or been threatened with eviction in the last month.

The charity wants the government to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance Rates so people can afford their rent. It says that currently the LHA covers the cheapest third of rents in just three per cent of English local authorities.

“Almost a million private renters are at risk of being of being kicked out of their home this winter, and more will follow” says Shelter chief executive Polly Neate.

“Every day our emergency helpline advisers are taking gut-wrenching calls – from the mum who’s skipping meals to pay the rent to the family terrified they will be spending Christmas in a grotty homeless hostel.

“The government’s refusal to unfreeze housing benefit, when private rents are rising at record rates, means the rental crisis is fast becoming a homelessness emergency.”

Responding to Shelter’s claims Chris Norris – Policy Director for the National Residential Landlords Association – says: “The vast majority of landlords want to help tenants stay in their homes wherever possible. 

“However, the Government needs to do more to support those most in need of help. This should include unfreezing housing benefit rates.  It is simply absurd that support for housing costs is being linked to rents as they were three years ago, not as they are today.

“Ministers need also to address the supply crisis in the rental market. Recent tax hikes have served only to cut the number of homes available to rent, whilst demand continues to remain strong. All this is doing is driving rents up and making homes harder to access.

“We are working with the Government to ensure the system that replaces Section 21 repossessions is fair and workable for responsible landlords as well as tenants. 

“This needs to include ensuring landlords can effectively tackle the problem of anti-social tenants and those building substantial rent arrears.”