HOMELESS households in temporary accommodation have soared by two-thirds since 2010, new government figures show.

The number of households in temporary accommodation in December 31 of last year was 78,930, a huge 64 per cent rise when compared to the 48,000 at the beginning of the decade.

Since 2010, the number of homeless children has also drastically risen by 75 per cent.

The figures were released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government today and show a 4 per cent rise in the last year alone.

Families and individuals living in these households are owed a duty to secure accommodation as a result of being unintentionally homeless.

Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said temporary accommodation is often "cramped, unsuitable and sometimes even dangerous" and it can have a "devastating impact" on people's lives and mental health.

He said: "It's no place for anyone to call home. This can't go on.

"Temporary accommodation can be an important short-term measure, but, when so many people are finding themselves stuck there, it's clear that the government must invest more in schemes to prevent homelessness in the first place and ultimately to end it once and for all."

Shadow housing minister Melanie Onn said the figures are "a terrible reminder of the consequences of the Conservatives’ eight years of failure on housing."
 
“These out-of-control figures are the direct consequence of decisions made by Conservative ministers, whether it’s the drop-off in funding for affordable homes, the botched introduction of universal credit, reduced support for homelessness services or the lack of action to help private renters.”

The MP for Great Grimsby said Labour will end rough sleeping within its first five years in government and tackle the root causes of homelessness.

Local Government Association housing spokesman Martin Tett urged the government to help councils borrow to build new homes.

He said: "On average over the last three years, councils are having to house the equivalent of an extra secondary school's worth of homeless children in temporary accommodation every month.

"It's crucial we tackle our national housing shortage at the root cause by building the homes our communities desperately need.”