Town named '˜hotspot' for UK homelessness

Shelter, a charity that helps homeless people, has revealed that Gosport is the 44th worst place in the country for homelessness, and that one in 199 people in the town is without a permanent home.

The statistics came as the charity marked its 50th anniversary, where it found that 415 people in the town are in temporary accommodation, with four living on the streets.

Councillor Mark Hook, leader of Gosport Borough Council, said the local authority was doing all that it could to help get people a permanent home in the borough.

Cllr Hook said that he believed the figures had been ‘distorted’ but added: ‘We have offered support and accommodation to those that are sleeping rough but unfortunately some of them to not take that option.

‘There is help out there for people and we are being proactive to offer as much support as we can.’

Other ‘hotspots’ for homelessness included areas of London, with Westminster rated the worst.

The findings were calculated by Shelter using data obtained by freedom of information requests.