New figures have shown the cost of providing temporary accommodation and tackling homelessness has doubled since 2010.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by the Green Party shows that the cost of tackling homelessness, including paying for temporary accommodation, staff and other services cost Hackney Council £3,092,255 in 2009 to 2010.

But this figure jumped to more than double, at £7,167,440 in 2014 to 2015.

Over the same period of time, spending on staff was cut from £3,239,653 to £2,608,491.

Since 2010, policies brought in by coalition and Conservative governments have cut jobseekers allowance and housing benefits and increased sanctions for people receiving support.

Hackney Green Party spokesperson, Charlotte George, said: “Homelessness is one of the starkest ways we can see how the housing crisis and austerity are affecting people in Hackney.

“Local residents are in a lose-lose situation with the cost of housing skyrocketing and their options for support diminishing.”

The end of a privately rented tenancy is the leading cause of homelessness in the UK, affecting just under one in three people. In London, research by the Green Party has shown two in five people become homeless for this reason.

Ms George added: “The Green Party would tackle homelessness by building more social housing, bringing empty housing back into use, and providing greater security and rent controls for tenants.

“We need to help those who fall into homelessness and illness.”