Bristol City Council is facing a ‘crisis’ in housing the increasing number of homeless people in the city. New figures reveal the council's spending on temporary accommodation more than doubled in two years.

Housing experts have warned cuts to welfare payments and benefits alongside soaring house prices are causing people to "fall out the bottom" of the system.

The figures, obtained from a Freedom of Information request by the Bristol Post show Bristol City Council spent £198,390 on temporary accommodation, such as bed and breakfast in the 12 months to the end of March last year. Since then, the figure has already reached £431,584.