A charity that works with homeless people in Bradford has reported that demand is rising as winter bites.

The warning comes as national charity Shelter revealed that it had seen an 80 per cent increase over three years in the number of people its helpline has dealt with who are homeless or face losing their home.

Hope Housing, a charity that helps homeless people off the streets and into volunteers’ homes in Bradford, helped eight people last month and is expecting that number to rise this month.

Adam Clark, of Hope Housing, said: “The cold winter has now started and it seems that there are more homeless people in need of help at this time of year. We have seen an increase in the number of people we work with during the winter months and this year is no exception.

“During November we helped eight people off the streets and there are many more people in need of the charity’s assistance.”

For the second year running, Co-op Travelcare in Kirkgate, Bradford, is collecting items for Hope Housing which can then be placed in volunteers’ homes for homeless people to use.

Gifts of clothing and toiletries, including men’s socks, underwear, scarves, gloves, deodrant and toothbrushes are needed.

Mr Clark said: “This is the second year that the customers and staff at the Co-operative Travel have collected items for the homeless. It is fantastic to be able to pass on to these items to homeless people when they stay with our hosts.”

Shop manager Michelle Crabtree said: “We did very, very well with the collection box last Christmas and customers were really generous.”

The shop is collecting donations until Christmas. Meanwhile, Shelter has said that the number of families with children at risk of homelessness who have called the charity for help has soared by 92 per cent over the three years.

The findings come after Shelter's Christmas appeal warned that 75,000 children in Britain will wake up homeless this Christmas, living in temporary accommodation such as bed and breakfasts or hostels.

Campbell Robb, Shelter's chief executive, said: “These figures are a shocking reminder of the daily battle so many families are facing just to keep a roof over their head.

“Through our helpline, Shelter offers vital help to people who have hit rock bottom and have nowhere else to turn.”