More than £1 million is being sought from the Government to help tackle homelessness in the city.

Brighton and Hove has one of the worst problems in Britain for the numbers of those sleeping rough or in poor housing.

The city council has produced a homelessness strategy which is due to be considered by the housing committee on Thursday (June 20). It was first revealed in The Argus earlier this year.

It will need £1.3 million from the Government's Homelessness Directorate to back proposals in the strategy.

Half of it will go on further measures to help rough sleepers find homes and get back into society.

Other cash will be used to try and find better temporary housing for homeless families with children than bed and breakfast rooms.

The rest will be spent on various projects including a family mediation scheme, appointing someone to run the strategy, arranging a drug treatment co-ordinator and appointing housing officers for people with special needs.

Almost 300 families are in temporary bed and breakfast housing in Brighton and Hove.

In the last five years, there has been a 76 per cent rise in the number of households accepted by the city as being homeless.

Many single people who are homeless have mental illness or addictions. The city also finds family breakdowns can lead to people becoming homeless.

More than a third of people being accepted as homeless lost their previous housing in the private sector, often through rising housing costs and rents.

The strategy says: "The increase in private rents has particularly hit those on benefits."