The number of families living in temporary accommodation has risen to 79,000, according to the latest government figures.

Council leaders warned the figures – which also show more than 123,000 homeless children were living in temporary accommodation – demonstrate the need for the Homelessness Reduction Act to be fully funded.

Cllr Martin Tett, the Local Government Association’s housing spokesman, said: ‘Councils are determined to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place and do all they can to support families. Rising homelessness demonstrates the need for the duties that the Homelessness Reduction Act imposed on councils are fully funded and resourced.

‘The people caught up in our homelessness crisis can’t afford for us to wait. It’s now crucial that we take the serious measures that are needed to get towards our collective ambition to end homelessness outright.

‘We need the full range of public bodies to cooperate with councils when it comes to tackling homelessness and ultimately, we need to ensure all councils are able to borrow to build the new homes that are needed to address our housing shortage, and adapt welfare reforms to prevent people from losing their home where possible.’

Analysis of the figures by housing charity Shelter also revealed the number of older people being accepted as homeless has increased by 40% in the last five years.

Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter, said: ‘It’s clear that our country is in the firm grip of a housing crisis as these figures starkly show, with older people and single parents both bearing the brunt.

‘Something as simple as a family breakdown can push older people from a shared family home into private renting, yet huge rents and unforgiving welfare cuts mean they lose their homes.

Laura Sharman (LGA)

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