NEW figures show 36,000 people in Greater Manchester were officially homeless in 1998.

Statistics, released today by the homeless charity Shelter, reveal more than 1,220 families and individuals were placed in temporary accommodation last year.

The figures were released by Shelter as part of a campaign for new legislation to improve the deal for the homeless.

They also show that 1,380 families and individuals were facing repossession of their their homes because they had fallen down on their mortgage payments throughout Greater Manchester, including Bolton.

MPs are a key target for the campaign which will argue for choice for homeless people and more emphasis on prevention.

Shelter say people are only offered help when they reach crisis point with little prevention.

And they claim single people are getting a particularly raw deal.

Chris Holmes, director of Shelter, said: "Homeless people are being left out in the cold under the current system.

"It is simply ridiculous that local authorities spend scarce resources repairing the damage once somebody is homeless rather than having a strategy to prevent homelessness in the first place."

Shelter want homeless people to be a central part of the decision-making process and want to push the Government for a wider safety net for all homeless people.

The charity is calling for a prevention strategy by local authorities who should also offer support to help the homeless settle and re-build their lives.

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