Homeless people can stay the night at the winter shelter

Latest government figures show that more than 1,000 families in Brighton are now in temporary accommodation - an increase of 37% in four years.

Figures have also shown an 84% rise in Swale in that time, for households accepted as homeless.

The National Housing Federation has blamed "a chronic lack of affordable housing in the south east".

Households accepted as homeless in 2001/02 Brighton and Hove 1,008 Southampton 779 Portsmouth 635 Milton Keynes 596 Reading 474 Oxford 465 Medway 463 Swale 371 Hastings 357 New Forest 352

Bernadette Stokoe, Head of South Regions for the federation, said: "Many thousands of people will be homeless this Christmas.

"What we need is an increased investment and a planning system that delivers new affordable homes."

Figures from the federation showing the 10 worst areas in the south east show Brighton had the highest number of homeless households in the region, with 1,008 households accepted as homeless in the year 2001/02.

Medway ranked as seventh, with 463 homeless households accepted in that year.

Swale was the eighth worst area, with 371 homeless households accepted in the same period and Hastings was in ninth place, with 357.