THE New Forest has some of the highest rates of homelessness in the UK, a leading housing charity has said.

The affluent area is one of the most badly-affected areas in the country for the issue, according to a new report by Shelter.

Nationally, the total number of homeless people has jumped by 13,000 year-on-year to 307,000.

The review combines official rough-sleeping and temporary accommodation figures, as well as social services figures.

Chief executive Polly Neate said thousands are stuck trying to "escape the devastating trap of homelessness", pointing to "decades of failure" on building affordable homes and the effects of recent welfare cuts.

"Some will have spent the night shivering on a cold pavement, others crammed into a dingy, hostel room with their children," she said.

"Many are simply unaccounted for."

In a map of 50 'homeless hotspots' across the UK, the New Forest is 48th, with one in every 201 people facing homelessness.

The New Forest is one of the most expensive national parks in the country in which to live, with homes costing around 14 times the average salary in 2015.

Newham, East London, had the highest rates of homelessness, with one in every 25 people homeless.