Increase in pensioners with lodgers

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House-share website Spareroom.co.uk said it had seen a 69% increase in the number of people aged over 65 looking to let a room during the past 12 months, with more than 150 new adverts posted by this age group on its site each month.

Matt Hutchinson, director of Spareroom.co.uk, said: "Pensioners have been hit particularly hard by the recession, especially those who only have a state pension to live on and rely on their savings to survive.

"But with savings rates at all-time lows, many retirees are literally living from hand to mouth every month.

"With the average UK room rent currently just over £400 per month, that's a significant amount of extra income someone who's retired could be earning from their property."

The group said there had also been a 79% increase in the number of homeowners aged between 45 to 54 who had an empty room they wanted to let, while adverts from those aged between 55 and 64 had almost doubled.

Similar research from high street bank Abbey found that 3% of homeowners were currently renting out their spare room, with a further 3% considering taking in a lodger in order to boost their income.

Those who have let a room receive an average of £393 a month in rent, or £4,716 a year.

Under the Government's Rent a Room scheme people receive up to £4,250 a year through renting out a room in their main home without having to pay tax on the money.

Opinium research questioned 1,600 homeowners during July for Abbey.