Following yesterday’s government proposals regarding Right to Buy and housing benefits, YouGov has published poll results that show the majority of people believing that rent payments should count in mortgage affordability decisions.

In total, 76% of survey participants agree with this idea, with 6% replying otherwise and 17% being unsure.

This belief is bipartisan: the majority of Conservative and Labour voters agree with this, as do the majority of people who voted for remain and leave in the EU referendum.

Broadly equal agreement is seen in the male and female breakdown too.

However, while most age group give similar results, ranging from 77% to 80% in agreement, the outlier is in the 18 to 24 year old block, where just 56% of respondents agree that rent payments should count as proof of affordability.

And regionally, London, with 66% saying this should be so, scores the lowest. Everywhere else ranges from 77% to 79%.

In its release, YouGov also points to a previous study, carried out in January this year, that showed 81% of Britons saying that housing is an issue in the UK and the majority of Conservative and Labour voters wishing for more government intervention in housing policy.

More new builds being marked for affordable housing and increased council tax on second properties were the most popular proposed interventions.

Additionally, 60% of Britons said that government policy has had a negative impact on the housing issue so far.