One in five households currently live in privately rented accommodation, the latest English Housing Survey has reported.

This is the sixth year in a row that the number of private rentals has remained unchanged at 4.6m.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the private rented sector accounted for a tenth of all households. Now the sector is double the size, according to the survey.

Currently 41 per cent of 25 to 34 year old live in the private rented accommodation – the same percentage as those who are owner-occupiers.