Single middle-aged women on low incomes are finding it particularly hard to keep up with mortgage repayments, it has been shown.

A high number of people in the UK are having difficulty keeping on top of their mortgage repayments, new research has found.

According to the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS), more than 20,000 people who contacted the group this year have been in mortgage arrears.

The statistics revealed over half of these individuals are women, with most being single and aged between 40 and 59.

In addition, 42.2 per cent of CCCS clients in 2011 earn between £10,000 and £20,000 while 28 per cent take home wages below £10,000.

Delroy Corinaldi, external affairs director at CCCS - a registered charity based in Leeds offering free an impartial advice - said: "While people of all ages and backgrounds can find themselves struggling to pay their mortgage, there appears to be certain groups who are more likely to find themselves in arrears."

The industry figure added the situation is likely to worsen when the interest rates begin to rise.