THE number of homeless people in the North-East has increased by 50 per cent during the past year.

Homeless charity Shelter says the rates - the largest of any English region - means 910 families will face this Christmas in temporary accommodation.

Latest figures suggest some rural parts of the region have seen a 106 per cent increase in homelessness, against a national figure of only seven per cent. The charity says that a lack of affordable homes is contributing to the rise in the problem.

The biggest problem is in the Wansbeck authority, in Northumberland, where 169 families were in temporary homes at the end of September, according to Government figures. Chester-le-Street, in County Durham, had 119 families, North Tyneside had 94, Stockton 91, Redcar and Cleveland 87, Newcastle 57, and Derwentside, in County Durham, 51.

The 50 per cent rise in the North-East contributed to the national homelessness total topping 100,000 households for the first time - twice the figure that Labour inherited in 1997.

Ministers said that more than three quarters of the families were living in good-quality, self-contained temporary homes.

But charities described the 100,000 figure as the tip of the iceberg, claiming that with 380,000 "hidden homeless", such as those in hostels and squats, the true total was nearer 500,000.

Adam Sampson, director of Shelter, said even an official total was a damning indictment of the fourth-richest country in the world.

He said: "It is a scandal that 100,000 households, many of them families with children, are now facing Christmas in temporary accommodation, with devastating effects on their health, education and future prospects."

Shaks Ghosh, chief executive of Crisis, said: "Homelessness is a huge problem and it is growing. It is not just about people sleeping on the streets."

The Salvation Army's centres in Darlington, Sunderland, Newcastle and a women's facility in North Tyneside have faced huge demand, with many people having to be turned away.

The official figure of 100,810 was up 6,680 on the previous September, with 82 per cent of the families in self-contained accommodation and 18 per cent using shared facilities.

The number of families in bed and breakfasts was down 28 per cent from last year, although slightly up from June.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said the Government's policies - including the building of 75,000 social homes over the next three years - were beginning to take effect.

He announced a £150m package to improve the condition of hostels for the homeless and to help local authorities and voluntary organisations tackle the problem.

* A centre for homeless people in York is to be created with the help of £1.07m of Government funding.

The project will be developed in partnership with the local authority, the charity Arc Light and the local housing association. It will provide up to 35 beds for the city's homeless.