The vast majority of homeless people are not rough sleepers

Stephen Byers Local Government Secretary

Stephen Byers, Transport, Local Government and Regions Secretary, said that situation was unacceptable.

The government last year reported a dramatic fall in the number of people sleeping rough, although some charities said the counting methods for that survey were flawed.

Now a report from the government's Homelessness Directorate - called More Than A Roof - is focusing on the problem of families who have no permanent home.

'Unacceptable'

Mr Byers said the drive against homelessness needed "fresh impetus" to examine the whole picture and how different groups of people could be helped.

"The vast majority of homeless people are not rough sleepers," he said. "They have a roof over their head but they need help.

"It is unacceptable that so many families are forced to live in B&B accommodation - our children deserve a better start in life than this."

Mr Byers wants no families with children to be living in temporary homes by 2004, except in emergencies.

The �125m for the scheme - which the Department of Transport, Local Government and Regions says is new money, includes: