Two dozen homeless protesters have stormed a council-owned building in Chester, north-west England, and barricaded themselves inside.

The 20-strong group of rough sleepers, accompanied by a dog, took over the upper floors of Hamilton House in the city centre on Monday night, claiming squatters’ rights and reportedly changing the locks once inside.

This comes as official figures revealed that a record number of homeless people died last year. The highest number of deaths were in London and the north-west, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), as charities and MPs warned that cuts are fuelling the homelessness crisis.

The activists said the heavy rain left them with no other option but to squat in the empty upper floors of the building, which houses a 24/7 homeless support hub on the ground floor run by a council contractor.

Wayne, 33, who did not want to give his surname, said: “We’ve been stuck outside in the rain for days. “I keep trying to get help from the support hub, but am given excuse after excuse. I just want somewhere to live.” Wayne became homeless at 18 years old after his mum died while he was in prison and the local authority seized her council flat.

He said the protesters had barricaded themselves over five floors and unlocked rooms so every individual had a different place to stay.

He added: “We’ve been perfectly peaceful about everything. There’s no damage at all. We just want some help.”

Police confirmed that officers attended the scene on Tuesday morning and are liaising with the council, which owns the building.

Councillor Richard Beacham, from Cheshire West and Chester council, said the group were “among the most vulnerable members” of the community and that council teams would be checking on their welfare.

“While the ground floor of Hamilton House has been renovated to a good condition and accommodates the homeless assessment hub, the upper floors of this old building are not suitable for people to stay in.”

He said the council would continue to work with police and other authorities to “find an appropriate way forward and to resolve this situation”.

Meanwhile, a candlelit vigil was held in Manchester on Tuesday night to remember the estimated 42 people who died in the region in the past year. The actor Maxine Peake, homelessness charities, faith leaders and members of the public gathered at St Ann’s Church in the city centre. Manchester is ranked as the city with the third-highest mortality rate among homeless people in the UK.

Greg Beales, the campaign director at Shelter, which led the event, said: “Often people who die homeless will not get a funeral, and this vigil allowed us all to come together and give them dignity and respect.

“These tragic deaths are the consequence of a housing system that is failing too many of our fellow citizens. We desperately need to set a new course, and to do that we need urgent action.”