More than 40,000 households in Scotland have resorted to using credit cards to pay their mortgage or rent during the past year, research shows today.

In a desperate bid to stay on the housing ladder a growing number of young people, including first-time buyers, are turning to credit cards, with nearly 3% of Scots saying they had done so in the past 12 months. The survey, conducted by YouGov for Shelter's ROOF magazine, polled households across the UK, following the Northern Rock crisis.

In Scotland, 3% of respondents who pay a mortgage or rent said they had relied on credit cards to make payments, equating to an overall figure north of the border of more than 40,000 households.

Describing the results as "shocking", Archie Stoddart, director of Shelter Scotland, said: "The number of people hit by the credit crunch, interest rate hikes and unaffordable housing costs is rapidly rising.

"For many people trying to keep a roof over their head, desperation is driving them to short-term, high-cost borrowing, which will in some cases end in personal disaster."

He added: "Ordinary people are being forced to seek more risky and expensive ways to stave off the threat of eviction and repossession. To ensure people have real choices about their housing, we must increase the stock of affordable rented homes in Scotland."

Most credit card companies charge between 15-18% interest. This is nearly 50% above even the highest mortgage interest rates of 11 or 12% in the sub-prime sector. But for people with poor credit ratings, the card companies can charge interest rates of up to 40% - a staggering five times above the average mortgage rate.

Mr Stoddart added: "Clearly this is a huge problem which will only become more widespread as housing costs continue to rise."

Citizens Advice Scotland, which says credit card debt is one of the main problems that its clients request help with, said the findings were concerning.

"This is a potentially worrying development," a spokesman said. "The level of UK credit card debt is already the highest in Western Europe. If some people are now adding in their monthly mortgage payments, then alarm bells should ring as to how sustainable this is.

"As a coping strategy, it may be okay if you can fairly quickly get your finances back on course - but if you just end up making the minimum payment you are only steering yourself into a downward spiral of debt."

As reported in The Herald yesterday, the number of people who have had mortgage applications turned down has soared by 60% during the past six months, according to a survey.

A combination of higher interest rates and tighter lending criteria affecting would-be borrowers in the higher-risk or sub-prime market are cited as reasons for the rise.

The research indicated that the total number of would-be homeowners turned down for a loan increased to 738,000 in the past six months compared to 463,000 for the previous six months.

Earlier this month, experts warned that people who pay off only the minimum amount each month on their credit card face a lifetime of debt.

Most people carry more than one card and the total amount owed on plastic is £53.4bn.

The findings come on the back of recent warnings over levels of personal debt in Scotland.

Figures released in August from the Council of Mortgage Lenders showed there was a 23% increase in the number of Scots being sequestered, the Scottish term for bankruptcy, in the second quarter of 2007 compared with the same period last year.

Analysts warned consumer lending was rising and that householders, currently paying an average £8841 in personal debt, faced further financial pressure as the effect of accumulative interest rate rises kick in.