The number of people renting homes in Enfield has rocketed by 121 per cent in the past ten years, according to the latest Census figures.

At 210 per cent, only London borough Barking and Dagenham saw a larger increase than Enfield in people opting to rent rather than buy properties since 2001.

Enfield has also seen a 22 per cent drop in the number of people owning properties in the borough – the sixth biggest drop in London.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of homeless charity Shelter, said: “These figures confirm that home ownership is slipping further and further out of reach, no matter how hard people work or save.

“This means young people are living at home well into their thirties, desperate to get on in life but unable to afford a place of their own.

“Meanwhile, more young families are stuck in rented housing under constant threat of being evicted, worrying about whether they’ll have to move again.”

He said the Government has to "get a grip” of the housing crisis otherwise the chances of the next generation being able to afford a home are “increasingly bleak”.