One in 69 people in Brighton and Hove is homeless

Government figures analysed by the charity Shelter today reveals that the city has the worst rate for homelessness outside London and is worse than some boroughs in the capital.

The shocking statistics based on Freedom of Information data show there are 4,095 people sleeping rough or in emergency or temporary accommodation in the city.

Hove MP Peter Kyle described the figures as "horrifying but not surprising."

He said: "Right now our system is broken. It's on its knees and we are letting down the people who need us the most."

"We have a desperate problem in this city and it can only be solved if we get all the political parties to put aside their differences and work together for long term solutions."

The true picture of homelessness could be much higher as the figures do not include the "hidden homeless" such as people staying on friends' sofas.

Andy Winter, chief executive of Brighton Housing trust said: "You can see how a number like that can be achieved, it is not entirely a surprise to me.

"It is a perfect storm of pressures on the city and there is not enough housing.

"People are being squeezed more and more and now we are desperate for solutions. "

Shelter's chief executive Campbell Robb said: "A modern-day housing crisis is tightening its grip on our country.

"We all face the consequences when so many in our country grow up without a place to call home. It breaks up communities and wreaks havoc on family life. For the sake of future generations, we must pull together to end this crisis and refuse to rest until every child has a place to call home."

Shelter highlighted the case of a woman - being named only as Mandie - who was renting a flat with her two daughters, but after being made redundant, she fell behind on the rent and was evicted.

She said: "We stayed in a hotel for months and now we're in temporary accommodation. I don't know where we'll end up next, or when we'll be able to have a home to call our own.

"This year, my daughters agreed to cancel Christmas. They're normally hyped about it, but I think they're trying to take the pressure off me. The only thing they asked for was whether we could still have a turkey dinner."

Shelter's co-founder Des Wilson said: "It would be pleasing if Shelter were able to take time to celebrate its 50th year, but, as this report shows, it is too aware of what still has to be done.

"I hope the country will respond to its urgent rallying call with the same combination of anger and compassion with which it supported our work all those years ago."