ONE in 10 older private renters in England have to rely financially on friends and family because they are struggling to cover rising rents.

This equates to about 130,000 people, based on a National Housing Federation survey of more than 3,900 tenants aged over 50.

At least 17 per cent of respondents have had to cut down on food and heating, and at least 10 per cent have had to take out a loan, use their overdraft or use a credit card. Three per cent of survey respondents have borrowed money from their own children.