Huddersfield Daily Examiner

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temporary digs by their local council.

The highest is poverty-stricken Newham which has an incredible 14,535 in temporary housing and 76 rough sleepers.

Across Yorkshire one in 962 people are homeless – the second lowest rate of England’s nine regions.

The number of homeless people in the region has risen by 12 per cent since 2017, reflecting the 4% increase across Britain.

An estimated 320,000 people are now homeless in Britain – 12,600 more than last year.

Chief executive of Shelter Polly Neate said: “It’s unforgivab­le that 320,000 people in Britain have been swept up by the housing crisis and now have no place to call home. These new figures show that homelessne­ss is having a devastatin­g impact on the lives of people right across the country.

“Due to the perfect storm of spiralling rents, welfare cuts and a total lack of social housing, record numbers of people are sleeping out on the streets or stuck in the cramped confines of a hostel room.

“We desperatel­y need action now to change tomorrow for the hundreds of thousands whose lives will be blighted by homelessne­ss this winter.”

The Secretary of State for Communitie­s, James Brokenshir­e, said: “No-one should be left without a roof over their head, which is why we are determined to end rough sleeping and respond to the causes of homelessne­ss.

“We are investing more than £1.2 billion to tackle all forms of homelessne­ss and a new law requires councils to support people sooner to help prevent them becoming homeless in the first place.

“Our rough sleeping strategy, support for councils and those working on the front line are helping to get people off the street and into accommodat­ion as we enter the colder winter months.”

He said the government’s £9 billion Affordable Homes Programme was ensuring local authoritie­s had the support they needed to build more council homes.

Mr Brokenshir­e added: “But we know that there is more that we need to do and we’re committed to working with Shelter and others to make a positive difference on this important issue.”

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