John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, commenting on new official statistics showing that homelessness has risen again, said:

“After six years of Conservative housing policies, over 100,000 children will be homeless this Christmas – up almost two-thirds since 2010.

“This should shame us all. In a country as decent and well off as ours, high and rising homelessness is not inevitable, but the number of homeless households has risen by nearly half, and the number of people sleeping on the streets has doubled.

“This is the direct result of decisions made by Conservative Ministers over the last six years – the lowest number of affordable homes for 24 years, no protection for private renters, and big cuts to charity and council budgets.

“We know it doesn’t have to be this way. When Labour was in government we cut homelessness to record low levels. We’ve now pledged to go further and end the shame of rough sleeping within our first term in government. Theresa May should back our plans to deal with this growing crisis.”