What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

More than twice as many people are sleeping rough in Tory Britain as previously thought, a worrying new study on homelessness warns today.

Analysis by academics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh found 9,100 people are currently sleeping on the streets across Britain - more than double the 4,100 previous estimates suggested.

Their study warns a further 8,900 people are sleeping in tents, cars or public transport, more than 12,000 live in squats and a staggering 68,300 are sofa-surfing on friends’ couches.

And the study - carried out for homeless charity Crisis - predicts the number of rough sleepers will soar by three quarters over the next decade unless new action is taken by Government.

Crisis boss Jon Sparkes said: “This year Crisis marks its 50th anniversary, but that’s little cause for celebration.

“We still exist because homelessness still exists, and today’s report makes it only too clear that unless we take action as a society, the problem is only going to get worse with every year that passes.”

(Image: Rex Features)

Modeling carried out by the academics predicts that on its current trajectory the number of rough sleepers will have nearly doubled to 16,000 by 2026 and hit a staggering 40,000 by 2041.

Last night Labour’s shadow housing minister John Healey urged the government to take action.

“It is a national scandal that in 21st century Britain the number of people experiencing homelessness is spiralling upwards,” he said.

“These new figures are a terrible reminder of the consequences of Conservative Ministers’ seven years of failure on housing.

“The number of people sleeping rough fell under Labour but has risen every year under the Conservatives and has now doubled since 2010.

“This is a direct result of decisions made by Conservative Ministers: a steep drop in investment for affordable homes, crude cuts to housing benefit, reduced funding for homelessness services, and a refusal to help private renters.”

(Image: Rex Features)

Lib Dem housing spokeswoman Wera Hobhouse added: “In 2017 no-one should be homeless, living in a bed and breakfast or worrying whether they will have a roof over their head from one month to the next.

“This is a national scandal which the government are failing to tackle, so it will only get worse. We need more homes built and they need to be truly affordable.

“Britain is one of the richest nations on earth, it is an utter disgrace that thousands of people are still sleeping rough on the streets every night.”

Housing experts agreed the only answer is for a massive Government programme of housebuilding.

Faye Greaves of the Chartered Institute of Housing said: “This report really hammers home the scale of our homelessness problem – it is quite frankly disgraceful that thousands of people are sleeping rough on our streets and that so many more don’t have access to a home of their own.

“Homelessness has been steadily rising in all its forms since 2010, partly because of the pressures on the housing market but also some of the welfare changes that have come into force over the past few years.

“Today’s report is a stark warning of the potential outcome if we don’t start taking action now.

“History tells us that we can reduce or even eliminate homelessness but it does require a co-ordinated approach – that means government investment, funding for affordable housing and a concerted effort across the housing and homelessness sectors.”