In total, 28% of all UK households said they experience some form of financial stress be it relying more on overdrafts and loans or struggling to pay bills.

But among working households, the figure jumped to 61%.

The most common forms of financial distress for working and struggling households were a reliance on more traditional types of borrowing. Some 20% of people had a loan or credit card, had borrowed money from friends and family, or had used authorised overdrafts as well as cutting back. One in five people had defaulted on a loan, bill, mortgage payment or rent.

Nearly two fifths of these households thought their financial situation would get worse in the next year. The top worries for these people were levels of household debt, fuel prices, housing costs, the prices of food and levels of savings.

Vickie Sheriff, Which? director of campaigns and communications, said: “It’s alarming to see how millions of working households in the UK are struggling financially. Many are worried about paying their rent, mortgages, everyday household bills and loans. What’s worse, is that one in five of these households are relying on credit cards, overdrafts and the goodwill of their friends and family to help them get by.

“At a time when people are feeling the pinch, we are urging the Government to use its upcoming Budget to consider how it can deliver measures that will help those families that are working and struggling with money worries.”