Coinciding with the JRF survey, the Local Government Association (LGA) published a report urging the government to launch a “post-coronavirus boom in social housing” to tackle long council-housing waiting lists.

The association’s report says that if the government built 100,000 new social-housing units each year it would help cut the huge waiting lists and deliver a £14.5 billion boost to the economy.

It warns that rough sleeping and “hidden homelessness” will become more common when coronavirus-related job support schemes wind down and unemployment rises in the coming months.

LGA housing spokesperson Cllr David Renard said the construction of more council homes was “absolutely vital.”

The association is urging the government to use its forthcoming 2021-22 Spending Review to introduce measures that allow councils to “resume their historic role as major builders of affordable homes.”

The measures should include a reform of the right to buy that so that councils keep all of the money raised from selling homes under the scheme and receive powers to set discount levels locally.