More than 90,000 children in Britain will be homeless this Christmas

The charity's warning is based on an analysis of Government figures which shows the number of children living in temporary accomodation in England, Scotland and Wales has risen from 76,650 in 2011 to 90,569 at the end of June this year.

This is the equivalent of three children in every school, says Shelter.

The number of homeless families living in bed and breakfast (B&B) accomodation in England has also risen.

An in-depth investigation by Shelter also reveals the conditions experienced by families who are currently or have been living in temporary accomodation in England.

Of the 20 families the charity spoke to, 13, said they felt unsafe in their accommodation, with some reporting exposure to drug and alcohol abuse, fighting, swearing and racist language. Most families live in one room, sharing kitchen and bathroom facilities with strangers and eating meals in their room on either the bed or the floor.

The majority of families (16) also revealed their children’s physical health had suffered from living in temporary accommodation.

All 20 respondents reporting a negative impact on their relationships with family and friends, and more than half said their children’s emotional health had been affected. This included instances of depression, panic attacks and wetting the bed.

Six families also highlighted the difficulty of getting their child to school due to the location of their temporary housing, with four families reporting a 1.5 hour journey each way to school, and two families not being able to get their child to school at all.

To help families without fixed accommodation, Shelter has launched an emergency appeal, calling on members of the public for their support.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said, 'No child should have to go through the trauma of losing their home, so it’s heart-breaking to think that three children for every school in Britain will wake up homeless this Christmas.

'These days it only takes one thing to push a family into a downward spiral which can end in homelessness, and we’re bracing ourselves for an increase in demand from families who desperately need our help to keep a roof over their heads.

'We urgently need more support from the public to help us make sure no-one has to fight homelessness on their own this Christmas.'

• To support Shelter’s emergency Christmas appeal visit shelter.org.uk or text SHELTER to 70060 to donate £3