HOTEL stays for rough sleepers during Christmas have been extended into the new year.

Homeless charity Crisis and St Mungo’s have worked together to house 148 people until January 19, providing them with a support worker and access to housing and benefit advice.

Crisis chief executive Matt Downie said: “Extending our hotel provision in London gives our guests, and the staff and volunteers they’ll be working with, crucial extra time to work on practical and sustainable plans to end their homelessness.”

According to the independent Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, the government will fail to meet its pledge to end rough sleeping by the end of this parliament.

The group said the target will be missed  amid “chronic and unresolved” issues in the housing system, as Britain faces an affordability crisis which is leaving more people homeless, while pressure on public services makes it difficult to help prevention.