Shelter wants the public to protest about homelessness

It warns a record 116,581 children will spend the festive season without a permanent home, with 100,810 households in temporary accommodation.

That has a devastating impact on children's health, education and future prospects, the charity says.

But the government said 6,000 fewer children were living in temporary accommodation than in 2000.

A spokesperson for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said that of the households in temporary accommodation, more than 80% were in good quality, self-contained housing with its own front door, washing and cooking facilities.

However, the government did recognise that more needs to be done to reduce the number of families in temporary accommodation, the spokesperson added.

Earlier in December, Shelter was critical after government figures showed the number of homeless families in England had topped 100,000 for the first time.

But ministers said an extra �150m is being released to help the 500,000 homeless people and more than three quarters of the families are living in good quality, self contained temporary homes, not on the streets.

This Dickensian picture of suffering is in stark contrast to the cosy festivities most of us can look forward to Adam Sampson Shelter

Shelter has warned children who live in emergency accommodation suffer problems including disturbed sleep, poor diet, hyperactivity, aggression and higher rates of accidents and infectious disease.

Having no permanent home limits their space and privacy to do homework, the charity said, and they are often bulled at school because of the stigma around homelessness.

"This Dickensian picture of suffering for homeless children is in stark contrast to the cosy festivities that most of us can look forward to this Christmas," said Shelter's director Adam Sampson.

One-room home

It highlights cases including Ahmed Abdullahi, who lives with his wife in one room of a Manchester hotel on the M40.

He says the family's rented accommodation needs repair after a fire and he wants to return there when work is completed, or be re-housed permanently.

Mr Abdullahi said of his four children: "Living in the hotel wrecks and confuses the whole of their daily activities.

"They used to lead a very good life where they could do their homework and play but now they can't do their homework and are getting sick.

"The school is very far away and they are often late for lessons."

Manchester City Council's Susan Triggs said any family in such a situation would be placed in temporary accommodation.