Around 75% of British people strongly believe that housing benefit must be increased to 'mirror' higher rental costs in the fight against the homelessness crisis.

The National Housing Federation's latest figures shows that those families in receipt of housing benefits are unable to afford to rent 94% of rental homes across England, because of the existing benefit freeze.

The federation reports that low-income families are finding it hard to cope on LHA (Local Housing Allowance) and can just about afford 7.5% of the 75,000 advertised rental homes.

The government in 2016 froze the LHA for four years within its austerity measures.

The recent opinion poll commissioned by Crisis and The Joseph Rowntree Foundation which has just been published, has found three quarters of respondents that wholeheartedly agree with an increase of LHA to 'mirror' the true cost of rising rents.

Public First conducted the poll with 4,000 people across the UK, the report also found that 76% of people believe that housing benefit is the best way forward for the government to help homeless people.

Housing benefit was set up in 2011 for low income earners to be able to afford the cheapest 30% of private rental homes in their area.

But since the 2016 four year freeze, the LHA benefit rate is considerably falling below the true market rental costs as rents have progressively risen since then.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive at Crisis, said: “A safe and stable home is fundamental to our dignity and humanity. But every day, we hear of people losing their homes as the constant pressure of rising living costs become impossible to bear.

“The Westminster government has committed to reduce homelessness, but without addressing the root causes such as unaffordable rents, homelessness will continue to rise.

“Housing benefit is an important tool and could be the quickest and most effective way to prevent homelessness in the short term, but it is fundamentally flawed because of severe under investment. Ending homelessness is truly within our capabilities and government must act now to deliver on its promises.”

Darren Baxter, housing policy and partnerships manager at The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, added: “A home should be an anchor against being swept into poverty but for many families the cost of renting a home is adding an extra strain.

“It does not have to be this way. We can ensure housing costs do not push households into poverty if we invest in building the low cost rented homes and, in the short term, invest in housing benefit so that it reflects the real costs of renting.”