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Calls to an advice helpline for Londoners facing homelessness have surged to an all-time high, raising fears about its ability to cope with the growing need.

Advisers at the housing charity Shelter are now handling nearly 1,000 calls a month — almost treble the level of just three years ago — from people facing eviction or repossession.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: “In these tough times, when everyone’s budgets are coming under enormous strain, it can take just one thing to tip any one of us into a downward spiral that could put our home at risk.

“More people than ever are turning to Shelter for support when the worst happens. But with demand so high, the heart-breaking fact is that at the moment we can’t help everyone who needs it.”

The number of families declared homeless in London is on the rise, with the total up 13 per cent to 4,410 in the three months to September 2013, according to the latest official figures. The capital accounts for around a third of all homelessness in England.

There were also 42,260 London families in temporary accommodation — up 11 per cent . Almost 2,700 families were housed in B&Bs.

Julia Salvidge, 23, and her four-year-old son were helped by Shelter after a flood in their rented property left them homeless. They struggled to find anywhere they could afford and had to cope in an emergency B&B in Croydon.

Ms Salvidge said: “It was so scary not knowing how long we were going to be in the B&B and what would happen.”

After living there for more than three months, she called Shelter for advice and help in securing more suitable temporary accommodation.

Shelter has launched a £500,000 fundraising campaign — the biggest in its 47-year history — in a bid to keep the helpline financially viable.

It hopes to raise the money through a sponsored run, known as the Vertical Rush, up the 920 steps of Tower 42, the City’s first modern skyscraper.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: "For ordinary Londoners, our shortage of affordable homes means monthly struggles to pay huge rent or mortgage bills, or seeing the dream of a home of their own slip further out of reach.

"These figures are a start, but they show that we're nowhere close to building the new homes this city needs.

"Londoners are still waiting for the Mayor to take the action and hard decisions needed to meet their housing aspirations."