Aprox. 27 million residential properties across the UK, including 1 bedroom and up.
Aprox. 67 million people in the UK (all ages).
67 / 27 = 2.4 people per property. Threesomes are in then? That number sounds familiar from a soap opera/TV series, “2point4 Children“.
The correct calculation for a living wage would have to be based on 1 person in single accommodation. Whereby a one-bedroom place would be achievable, then having a second person would be a benefit, not a forced situation. Especially for people that get stuck in a relationship that is not working for them.
There are two problems:
(1) Not enough accommodation for the population. Caused by a too higher number of people.
(2) The accommodation is too higher a price compared to earnings. Caused by demand, a result of having too higher population.
Numbers from Wikipedia.
What about the pod idea from Japan used in the USA?
See this about Los Angeles: (Not cheap though so how much does that help?)