This figure could increase to 18.8 million (39%) if their bills were to rise by up to £50 per month.
The findings come from protection specialist, Bright Grey's The Reality Gap Report. The report, undertaken by Opinium Research explores people's perceptions of their monthly outgoings vs. independent research into what people are actually spending and have in personal assets.
The average Brit spends £1,378 each month on essentials - equating to 68% of the average individual income. The average monthly spend rises to £2,001 for families. After rent or mortgage payments, transport (£267), monthly shop (£208) and council tax (£120) make up the largest share of monthly expenditure. Fuel bills have risen by 325% since 2003 and our shopping baskets are up 27% year on year.
With households already stretched even a modest increase in bills or decrease in income would cause people to struggle financially. More than half the population (55%) would find themselves in money trouble if their bills rose by just £100 a month - not a great deal in the grand scheme of things, particularly when you consider how low interest rates are at the moment and how they are expected to rise again.
Roger Edwards, proposition director at Bright Grey commented: "The report reveals the average Brit is just £155 away from a money meltdown. The frightening truth is that many Brits are already struggling to afford their monthly bills - and all it would take is a small increase in bills or drop in income for people to find themselves in trouble."
