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Tory benefit cuts “may well have” caused an increase in homelessness, a cabinet minister admitted today.

Conservative Communities Secretary Sajid Javid made the stark admission during an LBC Radio interview about the government’s new rough sleeping crackdown.

A task force to cut the number of people living on the street is being launched as ministers promised to break the cycle of homelessness .

Councils with high levels of rough sleepers will also be given cash from a £30 million fund.

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(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

The Government has faced intense criticism over spiralling numbers of people on the streets and housing minster Heather Wheeler has promised to resign if the problem gets worse on her watch.

Mr Javid said the latest plans were part of the Government's ongoing work to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it by 2027.

"This winter has tragically claimed the lives of a number of people sleeping on the streets,'' he said.