'Scandal' declared as figures show more than 1000 homeless children living in temporary accommodation in Milton Keynes

Labour described the homelessness crisis as a "national scandal" as the numbers hit a record high.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures show 985 households were living in temporary accommodation in the city as of the end of March. In many cases this accommodation could be unsuitable or overcrowded.

Some 648 of the households had 1,320 children.

Nationally, a record 120,000 households are living in temporary accommodation.

Meanwhile, the number of children has risen by 15%, surpassing 150,000 and reaching the highest figure since records began in 2004.

Temporary accommodation is a form of homelessness and can include people living in hostels or bed and breakfasts.

Big Issue founder and crossbench peer Lord Bird, who has spoken out about his experience of growing up in poverty, described the latest figures as "appalling" and warned that "another winter looms and there’s little being done to turn this terrible tide".

He added: "The time for nebulous homelessness taskforces and woolly cross-government strategies is over. This is an urgent and immediate crisis, on which our new government must act now."

In Milton Keynes, nine households were living in B&B hotels as of March.

Housing charity Shelter said this Government must "tackle the housing emergency head on".

Chief executive Polly Neate said: "Without a clear plan to invest in genuinely affordable social homes, thousands more children will be forced to grow up in damaging temporary accommodation, spending months if not years living out of suitcases, crammed into grim bedsits and B&Bs, and unable to put down any roots."

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: "We are facing the most acute housing crisis in living memory and homelessness remains at record levels. This is nothing short of a national scandal.

"Urgent action must be taken to fix this. That’s why we are working across Government and with local leaders to develop a long-term strategy to end homelessness for good."

To prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place, Ms Rayner said the Government will deliver "the biggest increase in social and affordable homebuilding in a generation".