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The economic downturn is causing a crisis in homelessness in New York, where job losses and repossessions are forcing record numbers of families on to the streets - and British charities are warning that London should also expect a sharp rise in people sleeping rough as the recession bites.
In the US, the Coalition for the Homeless, a nationwide advocacy group, has revealed that some 9720 families stayed in New York City's homeless shelters last month, the highest number since records began in 1983.
The report showed that the number of homeless families in New York had risen by a record 13 per cent since May, when the full effects of the crisis began to hit home.
In Britain, government figures have revealed a slight rise in the number of homeless people seeking help from local authorities in the capital, where thousands of City job losses are causing a devastating knock-on effect; but Leslie Murphy, chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis, says she expects worse to come.
"I think over the coming months we are going to see more people falling into homelessness," she said. "Repossessions are predicted to rise significantly by the end of next year; unemployment, which is one of the critical factors, is increasing rapidly - and we are already seeing more people coming for housing advice."
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