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A shocking rise in homelessness means there are 55 per cent more rough sleepers in the UK now than when David Cameron became Prime Minister in 2010.

Figure released today show 2,744 people were found to be sleeping rough on any one night in the country in autumn last year - up from 1,768 people in 2010.

In London, rough sleeping has shot up by a depressing 80 per cent since 2010 - with 742 people counted bedding down on the capital’s streets.

Rick Henderson, chief executive of charity Homeless Link, called on politicians to get a grip on the growing problem.

He said: "We should ask ourselves why it is acceptable that anyone has to sleep rough in Britain today.

“What's even more shocking is that the number of people in this situation has risen every year since 2010.

He added: "Unfortunately, many charities have seen funding fall at the very time that demand for help is on the rise.

"To turn the tide, politicians need to make sure the right support needs are available in every area so that no one has to live on our streets."

Howard Sinclair, chief executive of homelessness charity St Mungo's Broadway warned the number of people sleeping rough could rise as the Government slashes the welfare bill.

He said: “At least a proportion of the rise is driven by an increase in rough sleeping among non-UK nationals, in particular Eastern Europe.

“This trend, which has been apparent over the past decade, is particularly concerning as many of the traditional routes off the streets are not available to people who may have limited entitlement to welfare benefits.

"Further tightening of entitlement could exacerbate this.”

Emma Reynolds MP, Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister, called the increase “shocking”, and added: “It is disgraceful the Tories have not only failed to act, but that their policies have made things worse.

“The Prime Minister once said homelessness and rough sleeping were a disgrace.

"But warm words are cold comfort to those sleeping rough if you fail to act.

“Rising housing costs and low pay have made it more and more difficult for people to keep a roof over their head.

“The Tory-led Government has presided over the lowest levels of housebuilding in peacetime since the 1920s, a drop in the number of affordable homes being built and policies like the Bedroom Tax have made things even worse.”

Homelessness does not just show itself through people sleeping on the streets.

Figure from housing charity Shelter reveal from Autumn 2013 to 2014, the the number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation rose by 6% to 3,520 households.

Homelessness Minister Kris Hopkins blamed a rise in immigration for the increase in homelessness.

He said: “As a result of the successful introduction of the “No Second Night Out” initiative in London, which we are supporting other areas across England to take up, more rough sleepers are now being found and given the help they need and around three-quarters of new rough sleepers in London do not spend a second night on the streets.

“I remain concerned – particularly about the rise in foreign national rough sleepers in London.

“With over half of London's rough sleepers now being foreign nationals it is important that migrants who come to this country are able to support themselves so they do not become destitute.”

The figure show that London now accounts for 27% of all the rough sleepers in England.

In the borough of Westminster - in the shadow of the Houses of Parliament - the figure rose by a staggering 89%, from 140 to 265.

It now has five times as many rough sleepers as anywhere else in England.

The City of London is second, with 50 (up from 35), with Hillingdon, also in London, third (up from 38 to 45).

Manchester i fourth (up from 24 to 43).

Brighton and Hove (41), Bristol (41), Cornwall (40), Canterbury (38) and Kensington and Chelsea (34) complete the top 10.

The rough sleeping figures are collated by the government once a year from data provided from councils across the country.

The councils collect the data in one of two ways - by actually carrying out a count of rough sleepers on a single night, or compiling an estimate based on information including intelligence from outreach charities and the police.

Critics have long believed the official figures are likely to be a significant underestimate of the true number of people living on the streets, as it is based on a snapshot of a single night.

For example, if the official figures are to be believed, there are no rough sleepers at all in 59 out of 335 areas, including Gateshead, Blackburn, Sunderland, Bury, Carlisle, Oldham and Barrow-in-Furness.

For the 2014 figures, 49 councils did a count, while 277 provided an estimate.

The counts were all carried out between the start of October and the end of November.

Anyone worried about housing or homelessness can contact Shelter for advice at www.shelter.org.uk/advice or call their helpline on 0808 800 4444.