Figures suggest that 83 Hastings and St Leonards children will be homeless on Christmas day a situation Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate Pater Chowney says is ‘shameful’.

Research by the homeless charity Shelter has come up with the figure and the charity says that number is set to continue rising.

It is a 63 per cent increase since the first quarter of 2013, when it was estimated that 50 children were in temporary accommodation in the town.

Mr Chowney says this suggests things are getting worse for those in the greatest need – despite the efforts of cash-strapped voluntary agencies to cope with the crisis, he says: “This appalling rise in homelessness is a direct result of decisions made by Conservative ministers, among them our present MP Amber Rudd.

“Homelessness fell at an unprecedented rate with Labour, but after eight years of Conservative government, it is shameful that 83 children in area will be without a home this Christmas.

“It’s no surprise that homelessness is rising rapidly when the government has slashed investment in new affordable homes, refused to help private renters and made huge cuts to housing benefit and homelessness services.

“The next Labour government will end rough sleeping within a single Parliament and tackle the root causes of rising homelessness with a million new low-cost homes and stronger rights for renters.”

Shelter has calculated that 131,000 children will be homeless in temporary accommodation in Britain this Christmas, the highest number in over a decade.