THOUSANDS of children will spend Christmas without a home.

One in 30 children in Brighton and Hove are homeless and in temporary accommodation, according to a report by from homeless charity Shelter.

This means 1,821 youngsters will be without a home in the city, one of the highest figures in the country.

The figures, collected in March, have been slammed as “scandalous” by charity bosses.

The Generation Homeless report also claimed that “20 children lose their home every day in the South East of England”.

Polly Neate, the charity’s chief executive, said: “This is a scandalous figure and a sharp reminder that political promises about tackling homelessness must be turned into real action.

“Day in, day out we see the devastating impact the housing emergency is having on children across the region.

“Many are being uprooted from their friends, while others are forced to live in cramped Bed and Breakfasts and go to bed at night scared by the sound of strangers outside.

“Every child has the right to a safe home and if we act now, our frontline advisers can support more homeless families in the South East to get to a better place.”

The report stated that 460 families in the South East are currently living in emergency hostels and bed and breakfasts, which it described as “the worst type of accommodation”.

A spokesman for the charity said: “Shelter is warning that if nothing changes 180 children across the South East will be made homeless between now and the time of the general election on December 12, and 440 will be made homeless by Christmas day on December 25.

“The charity is calling on every political party to put housing at the top of its domestic agenda.”

Caroline Lucas, Green party candidate for Brighton Pavilion, expressed her horror at the latest figures.

She said: “This study by Shelter, showing one in 30 children in Brighton and Hove are homeless, is shameful but, sadly, not surprising.

“The Conservatives have had nearly ten years to tackle the housing crisis and they’ve done nothing.

“Promises to build starter homes have resulted in not a single one being built.

“The shortage of council and social housing remains a national scandal and it is young children and their families who are paying the price.

“The Tories’ performance on housing has been abysmal.

“It’s time they were shown the door.”

Brighton and Hove had the highest number of children who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation in the South East.

Eastbourne, with 195 children who are homeless or living in Temporary Accommodation, Crawley, 242, Hastings, 136, Worthing, 143, and Lewes, 126, also featured in the top 20 authorities in the South East for their child homeless rates.