Around a fifth of members who took part in the annual survey of the National Panel of Tenants and Service Users were not managing well financially at the time of the survey, with almost a third often having to delay or miss paying a bill. Increased food and energy costs were the biggest contributors to financial difficulties.

More than two thirds of respondents had experienced difficulty heating their homes and more than one in ten respondents are currently experiencing difficulties in affording their rent.

Helen Shaw, director of regulation at the SHR, said: “Feedback from the national panel shows the scale of the ongoing financial pressures tenants and their families continue to face.

“The research, alongside our other engagements with tenants and service users, helps to understand the priorities, experiences and views of people who use social landlords’ services. We will use the research to help inform our work, including our review of charter indicators.”

The research was carried out for the Regulator by Engage Scotland.