75,000 children 'will wake up homeless on Christmas Day'

More than two children in schools will be homeless over Christmas Credit: Rebecca Naden/PA Wire

Seventy-five thousand children will wake up homeless on Christmas Day, housing charity Shelter has warned today.

New figures have revealed that more than two children in every primary school in Britain will be homeless over the festive period - enough children to fill 333 primary schools.

Homeless charity Shelter has said the number of homeless families in Britain has been "rising steadily over recent months".

The number of families with children forced to live in B&Bs has also increased by 57% over the past year.

Shelter's helpline and local advice centres helped more than 1,000 people at risk of becoming homeless over the festive period last year.

The charity is launching an emergency Christmas appeal for public support.

Visit shelter.org.uk to make a donation or text HOMES to 87085 to give £3 to Shelter emergency Christmas appeal.

Homelessness statistics

  • Last year alone saw 6,130 more households in England left homeless in 2011/12 - a rise of almost 14%, according to figures from SSentif.

  • Regionally, the highest percentage increase was the East of England, with the number of cases rising from 3,660 in 2009/10 to 5,270 in 2011/12 - a 44% increase.

  • The South East has seen a 38% rise in the number of households without a home, with 5,320 cases in 2011/12 compared with 3,870 in 2009/10.

  • London had a 34% rise in the number of homeless households, to 12,720 cases in 2011/12 from 9,460 in 2009/10.

  • With homeless rates increasing again the demand for emergency temporary accommodation, such as B&Bs, is getting higher.

  • National Housing Federation research found that between January and March 2011 there were 2,750 families nationwide living in B&Bs.

  • Over the same period in 2012 this had risen to 3,960, an increase of 44.