AROUND one in six renters has missed an essential payment in a single month amid continuing cost-of-living pressures, according to a survey by consumer rights group Which?

An estimated 2.4 million households missed or defaulted on at least one mortgage, rent, loan, credit card or bill in the month to January 12, its research found.

High levels of missed payments were seen throughout most of last year, but the latest figure is a sharp rise from some 1.8 million households who missed payments in the month to December 8.