Housing charity Shelter expresses concern at 1 million households using a credit card to  pay mortgage or rent last year.

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About 1 million families have resorted to using credit cards to pay their mortgage or rent  during the past year, the housing charity Shelter claimed today.

A survey by the organisation found around 6% of households had used their plastic during  the past 12 months, in order to keep up with their housing costs.

People in working class professions were most likely to use debt to cover their mortgage or  rent at 8%, but 4% of ABC1s also admitted they had used their credit card in this way.

"If people are already struggling to the extent that they fear losing their home,  increasing credit card debt cannot be the answer," said Kay Boycott, director of policy and  campaigns at Shelter.

"It is absolutely vital that every single person using credit cards in this way seeks  advice urgently to get the help they need to ensure they don't lose their home."

Boycott said: "Shelter has a network of advice services across the country who are ready to  give free advice on a range of subjects including debt and housing issues so we would urge  anyone struggling to get in touch today. The sooner they seek help, the more options are  available."

The group warned that many of the people who had resorted to using their credit card to  cover housing costs could find themselves facing homelessness this year, particularly as  defaulting on credit card repayments could lead to their property being repossessed, in the  worst case scenario.

In the first nine months of last year almost 14,000 repossession orders were granted to  lenders, far fewer than had been predicted at the start of the year.

Sharp interest rate cuts and government steps to help struggling homeowners were both  credited with helping borrowers stay in their homes, but there are fears that rate rises  could push many more people into difficulties.

The government's housing minister, John Healey, said Shelter was right to highlight the  dangers of relying on credit to pay mortgages or rent.

"While repossessions are running at half the rate of the last recession, the risk remains  high this year," he said.

"I want homeowners to know there's free help available, by phone, internet and from local  money advice agencies and councils."

Healey said the government had put £4m into free advice services and was working with the  charity Citizens Advice to offer more help to homeowners.

"My advice for struggling households is to make the most of the help that is available.

"Don't bury your heads in the sand or store up problems for later by using credit cards as  a stop gap."