This week, a new report from Shelter showed that one in every 59 Londoners are now homeless. 

18 of the top 50 areas contributing to Britain’s surging homeless population are in London, with the three worst boroughs revealed as Newham (13,607), Harringey (9,717) and Westminster (8,054). 

Across the UK 13,000 more people are sleeping on streets and in temporary accommodation compared to the same time last year. 

Liz Rutherfoord, SHP's Chief Executive said: "I was dismayed, but not surprised, to learn that one in every 59 Londoners are now homeless, according to a report by Shelter. Since 2010 alone, the cost of private rented accommodation in the capital has increased a staggering eight times faster than earnings.  

"This, combined with the chronic shortage in social housing, the rise of insecure and low paid jobs and the precariousness of many private sector tenancies, has created a perfect storm which is pushing ever greater numbers of vulnerable people into temporary accommodation or worse, forcing them to take their chances on the streets. 

"Government figures show a 63 per cent rise in the number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation since 2010, of which 54,000 – more than two thirds - are in London. Yet the vital resource of social housing continues to decline, while the freeze on local housing allowance is leaving tenants – many of whom are working but forced to rely on top ups - facing massive shortfalls between housing benefit and real world rents.

It's an irony that, whereas 40 years ago, campaigners were calling on the government to sit up and take notice of homelessness, today they are desperately lobbying ministers to scrap or change policies that are actively contributing to it."