Sheffield has seen a significant increase in homelessness during the Covid-19 pandemic a city council report has indicated.

Many rough sleepers have been forced to escape their homes because of domestic abuse and family arguments.

Ben Keegan, the Chief Executive of Sheffield-based charity Roundabout said: “These are some of the most vulnerable people, many with high levels of anxiety and our continued support is a lifeline for them.”

The charity, which focuses on homelessness in young people, faces an even tougher challenge to provide this support because of current lockdown restrictions.

Ben added: “Our fundraising efforts will suffer over the coming months due to the cancellation of events, but our young people remain at risk of homelessness and still need our support.”

He said that these young people “now need us more than ever”.

According to the council, the estimated number of homeless people that are currently eligible for assistance in Sheffield is 600 compared to 484 last year. The number of homeless people in the city is likely to be higher than this number because of cases where people are not eligible for assistance.

The council report, that will be discussed on Thursday 25 February, said: “People at risk of homelessness in Sheffield face extremely challenging circumstances.”

It added: “We are continuing to work closely with our partners to ensure we can continue to improve the outcomes for people in the city affected by homelessness.”

The report also discussed the challenges that prevention services are facing during the pandemic because of “pressures on resources”.