A charity has warned of the heartbreaking number of children who will be homeless this Christmas

More than 5,000 primary school children in Greater Manchester will be homeless this Christmas, shocking new figures have revealed.

Research by homeless charity Shelter found that across the country the equivalent of one child in every three primary school classes will spend Christmas without a home. The figures – obtained by through a Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – show that primary school children are the worst affected age group in England.

The equivalent of one in 84 primary school children are now set to spend Christmas homeless in what Shelter describes as ‘often grim and unstable temporary accommodation’. And Manchester is one of the worst affected areas in England.

Across the city, 2,740 primary kids are homeless.

That’s the equivalent of 13 in every school.

In Salford, 637 children are homeless, an average of five per school, while in Oldham the figure is 436, the equivalent of four per school.

Across the region a total of 5,049 children will be homeless or in temporary digs.

London is the worst affected area region of England, with at least one in 24 primary school children homeless in temporary accommodation across the city, the equivalent of one in every classroom.

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate said: “It’s heart-breaking that one in three primary school classrooms include a child who will spend this Christmas homeless. While their classmates are excited for the holidays ahead, many children face winter in a freezing cold bedsit or grotty B&B room, unwrapping their presents as their breath hangs in the air.

“Families across the country tell us the housing emergency is damaging their children’s education. Thousands are growing up without the space or basic facilities to sleep, play or do their homework.

“They travel for hours only to arrive at school exhausted, where they struggle to concentrate and fall behind in their work. To give children a chance to succeed, the government must end the nightmare of child homelessness by building a new generation of decent social rent homes.”

In September, the Manchester Evening News revealed how more than 4,000 primary and secondary school-aged children across Manchester were homeless. It worked out that one every 33 kids in the city was without a permanent home.

Speaking at the time, Lisa told how she and her young daughter had been kicked out of their rented flat in east Manchester in a ‘no fault eviction’. Unable to work due to ill health, she went to the council for help and was offered temporary accommodation in a ‘freezing cold’ flat on the seventh floor of a tower block in Bolton, 10 miles away from her daughter’s school and their friends and family.

“I was terrified,” she said. “You want to do everything to protect your child and then when you have nowhere to live. It’s horrible.”

Lisa told how each day they had to leave home just after 7am to ensure her daughter to school on time. On a bad day, the journey could take up to two hours, she said.

“It’s so tiring,” she said. “We’re up so early in the morning. We’re barely sleeping as it is, it’s a constant ongoing battle.

“I don’t know anywhere round here, I feel like I’m stuck in one place, it’s not good for your mental health. It’s like being a prisoner.”

The figures come as the Government announced almost £1bn of new funding for English councils to tackle homelessness. Deputy prime minister and secretary of state for housing, Angela Rayner said 160,000 children faced spending Christmas without a stable home.

She added: “I am determined to break the cycle of spiralling homelessness and get back on track to ending it for good. This largest-ever investment marks a turning point, giving councils the tools they need to act quickly and put in place support for people to tackle, reduce and prevent homelessness. It’s time to turn the tide.”

Shelter is asking the public to donate to its Urgent Appeal to help it be there for the thousands of people experiencing homelessness this winter. Donate now at shelter.org.ukwinterappeal