THE number of rough sleepers on the streets of York rose by 61 per cent in the last year.

Figures released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government this week showed there were 29 rough sleepers found in York during an annual street count in November 2017 - up from 18 the previous year.

The percentage increase was three times the average for Yorkshire and Humber.

The majority of rough sleepers in York were men - there were 26 - and 26 were UK nationals, while all were over the age of 25.

Tom Brittain, assistant director of housing at City of York Council, said all 29 were offered emergency accommodation by the authority, and said the council was doing all it could to improve the situation.

He said: “Two months later on January 3, we carried out an informal street walk and nine rough sleepers were seen, in part reduced by assisting people into our severe weather accommodation. We continue to work with our partners the Salvation Army and Carecent, to offer rough sleepers support off the street and into safer, more stable lifestyles because life expectancy lowers to 47 when living on the street. Sadly, some choose to decline our offer.”

Mr Brittain said there had been 58 households in temporary accommodation in York at the end of September, and the authority had made 324 “interventions” to prevent homelessness between April and September last year.

He said: “We continue our campaign so report the location of rough sleepers to us and Streetlink so we can offer them help, and we encourage people not to give cash to people appearing to beg as it may delay them getting the help they need.

“This week we have opened three new rooms at two of our hostels and on January 25, were given the go-ahead to open our severe weather beds from November 1 to February 28, whatever the weather. We are starting work in the spring for a new 57-unit temporary accommodation scheme to consolidate and replace existing accommodation.”

Polly Neate, chief executive of homeless charity Shelter, said:?“These figures expose the worst pain inflicted by our housing crisis. We have failed as a society when so many people are forced to sleep rough.?But they are not alone,?the scourge of homelessness extends far beyond our streets. Hidden away in emergency B&B’s, temporary bedsits and on friend’s sofas are hundreds of thousands of other homeless people, including families with children.”

Ms Neat said most homeless people “couldn’t afford to live anywhere, a situation made worse by welfare cuts”, and called on the government to build “genuinely affordable homes to rent”, and ensure housing benefit is “fit for purpose in the short-term”.