A RECORD number of people have received eviction orders as a result of falling behind on their rent, official figures show. 

Between April and June 2022, there were 4,686 possession orders by courts in England related to rent arrears, according to the latest Ministry of Justice landlord possession statistics. 

This is the highest figure since records began in 2003, according to Generation Rent. 

The housing rights campaign group said that the figures reflect failures to support renters in the aftermath of the pandemic. 

“But it’s going to get worse as energy bills climb further and more people face a devastating choice between paying rent, heating their home, and putting food on the table,” Generation Rent director Alicia Kennedy warned. 

“Alongside a further package of financial support, the government must freeze rents and protect renters from eviction if they’re struggling to stay on top of rent.”

The figures, released on Thursday, also show a significant increase in all eviction orders — not just for rent arrears — during those three months compared to the same period in 2021, jumping from 5,431 to 14,519. 

Although this was an increase of more than 160 per cent, it still remained lower than pre-pandemic levels. 

The number of evictions also rose dramatically from 1,582 to 4,900.

Homeless charity Crisis said that 1,651 of that total were “no fault evictions” — where a landlord does need to give a reason to evict their tenants.

That represents an increase of 52 per cent in just three months, the charity, which has also called for more support for renters amid the cost-of-living crisis, said.

It comes after a restriction on bailiff-enforced evictions, implemented during the pandemic to protect struggling households from being kicked out of their homes, was lifted in May 2021.