Nearly 5,000 children in Newham are homeless, according to figures published yesterday.

Altogether, 4,994 children live in temporary accommodation across Newham, putting it third in a list of London boroughs with the highest number of homeless children, behind Haringey and Brent.

In the last two years, Newham has seen a 42 per cent increase, with 1,483 more children, living in temporary accomodation since 2012 - according to figures analysed by Labour MP Dame Tessa Jowell and released from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

A spokesman for Newham Council said the problem surrounding homelessness is “exacerbated” by central London boroughs placing hundreds of homeless families in temporary accommodation in the borough, “reducing suitable properties available” to Newham.

He added: “We are doing all we can to ensure Newham has good quality affordable housing which is fairly distributed. We have invested in Local Space, a not-for-profit landlord which provides quality temporary accommodation.

“We have created Red Door Ventures, a company that will build and buy at least 3,000 new homes for rent – with up to half offered at subsidised rents. We have also established a shared equity scheme to assist Newham residents to access affordable home ownership.”

The analysis showed that 72,100 children are living in temporary accommodation in London, this represents an increase of 25 per cent in three years, and 10 per cent in a year.

Dame Jowell said: “It’s heartbreaking to see so many children in Newham growing up without the basic necessity of their own home. The fact that nearly 5,000 Newham children are homeless is bad enough. But if you look at London as a whole, the situation should shame us all.

“Over 70,000 London children – the equivalent of every single child in a city the size of Newcastle – have no home. We are a city of billionaires and millionaires, yet child homelessness is disgracefully high and rising.

“Inequality is robbing these children of their childhood. We have to build more houses, we have to tackle the inequality in London and we have to start binding our city back together to build one London not two.”