The number of people in Bradford made homeless due to circumstances beyond their control has rocketed by 80 per cent in 12 months, with a leading councillor warning that the situation is set to get worse.

In 2010/11, 166 people in Bradford, including a pensioner aged over 75, were made “unintentionally homeless” compared to 92 people the year before.

Left homeless unintentionally means when events happen outside of the person’s control, including being kicked out by parents or leaving because of domestic violence.

Twenty three people also slept rough last December, Freedom of Information figures show.

One homeless charity, Bradford Nightstop which helps 16 to 25-year-olds in dire need of a bed for the night, has had to turn people away because they do not have enough volunteers to meet homelessness demand.

Councillor Val Slater, the executive member with responsibility for housing, said she was concerned that figures seemed to be on the rise and warned of a worsening situation when the Government brings in changes to housing benefit.

“That will put a great strain on finances of quite a number of vulnerable people,” she added.

“In addition, the economic climate we are in is going to make housing people very difficult as we could run out of money that can be drawn out of Central Government. The Council works very closely to help vulnerable people to stay in their homes, but these increases are placing more and more pressure on already overstretched services.

“I think that the increases we are seeing, not just in Bradford, but across the country are a direct reflection of national policies on welfare and the state of the economy.”

Up to sixteen of the 166 cases dealt with by Bradford Council in 2010/11 had mental or physical disabilities while eight were the victims of domestic violence and 129 were households with children. Five cases involved pregnant women.

Up to 115 cases were aged between 25 and 44, while four were 65 to 74 and 27 were between 16 and 24. Seventeen were aged between 45 and 59 and two were between 60 and 64 years old.

The figures also showed that in two out of the 166 cases, the reason for the loss of their home was racially-motivated violence or harassment and 34 were required to leave accommodation provided by the Home Office as asylum support.

A national policy means asylum seekers waiting for determination on their case get accommodation, but if their case is rejected, they have 28 days to move out. Many homeless people get emergency accommodation, bed and breakfast or put up in a hostel to prevent them being left on the streets, a Council spokesman said.

The Council dealt with a total of 497 cases under the homelessness provisions of the 1996 Housing Act between July 2010 and June this year.

That was a 35 per cent increase from 367 cases the year before.

As well as unintentional homeless, the figures incorporate those intentionally homeless, who have failed to do what is reasonably expected of them such as paying their rent, and those not in priority need.

Bradford Nightstop’s education officer, Bill McCann, would not comment on the Council’s figures, but said that in 2010/11, they received 525 referrals, up by 20 cases on the previous year.

“We always need new volunteers and cannot always meet demand,” he added.

The Council did reveal that, in 2,283 cases in 2010/11, it managed to take positive action to help homeless people, but in 223 cases failed to relieve their situation despite positive action.