One in three households would struggle to pay their rent or mortgage for more than a month if they lost their job, according to new figures.

A study by Shelter and YouGov comes from a July poll of 8,381 adults - including 1,581 working families with children.

They were asked how long they could afford to pay their rent or mortgage from their savings if they lost their job and remained unemployed.

The study found 37% of households would not last more than a month and 23% of working families said they would be unable to pay any of their housing costs from the outset.

The findings mirror recent government figures, which show there are 16.5 million working age adults in the UK with no savings at all.


Almost half of those surveyed said the cost of housing was the biggest expense.

One of those who participated in the study is Lou Hart, a single mother of two who lives in a small flat in Guildford.

She told Sky News: "I had to live with friends, until I was able to afford to rent this flat.

"My children had to do the same.

"It was pretty dire.

"My daughter went to live back with my ex-husband and my son went to live with various friends.

"So our family was split up, really split up.

Households in the North West are hit the hardest - with 29% unable to pay their rent or mortgage if they lost their job.

It's 28% in East Midlands and 24% in South West.

But for some, saving comes down to the individual - no matter how small the pay cheque.

Gregor Watt from, HJP Independent Financial Advisors in Dorking said: "My personal belief is that the buck has to stop with you.

"It's your responsibility.

"Nobody else is going to save your future retirement fund or your savings fund, it's up to you."

Shelter chief executive Campbell Robb said the study was "a stark reminder that sky-high housing costs are leaving millions of working families stretched to breaking point and barely scraping by from one pay cheque to the next".

"It's vital that if life does take a turn for the worse, there's enough support available for families so that they don't go hurtling towards homelessness."

A Government spokesman said: "We are introducing the national living wage, increasing the personal tax allowance and giving the next generation choice and flexibility in their savings, including the Help to Save scheme for people on low incomes.

"We are continuing to spend around £90bn a year on working age benefits to ensure a strong safety net for the most vulnerable.

"And for those who do fall on difficult times, there are strong protections in place to guard against the threat of homelessness and ensure we don't return to the bad old days when homelessness in England was nearly double what it is today."