TWO-THIRDS of people living in private rented accommodation are worried about paying their rent, research suggests.

The Big Issue magazine said its study revealed a “troubling picture” of housing vulnerability.

The poll of 2,000 adults showed that one in two felt an increased risk of homelessness compared with last year.

Alongside the research, the Big Issue launched a new film, The 12 Days of Homelessness, highlighting the leading causes of homelessness across Britain.

Those surveyed said issues putting them at risk of homelessness included a loss of income or employment, mental or physical health problems and rising living costs.

The Big Issue said many of its vendors believed that the end of private tenancies, rising living costs and the loss of income or employment were top factors likely to force them into homelessness.

Most vendors report feeling more at risk of homelessness now than when the cost-of-living crisis began in 2019, the report said.

Susan Alderman, a Big Issue vendor who sells the magazine in London, said: “No two people that have been homeless are on the street for the same reason.

“Money could be one reason, another reason could be domestic violence.

“If you haven’t got a proper job, for example, that that can push some people over the edge where they get in debt.

“They might have an alcohol problem or drug problem. A lot of people have got mental health issues which need addressing — it can be anything.”

Lord John Bird, founder of the Big Issue and a crossbench peer, added: “With the cost-of-living crisis still biting and the country experiencing record levels of homelessness, many people — including our vendors — face a difficult winter.”