Thousands of homeless people are not getting access to the housing and services they need.

This was revealed yesterday when the London Assembly housing committee met representatives from homeless charities to discuss the ‘housing first’ model to tackle rough sleeping.

Housing first is an approach used to tackle homelessness and involves providing those most in need – people with drug or mental health problems for example – with stable housing and only then dealing with the issues that led them to be homeless.

The approach can be used by anybody providing services for homeless people.

Hannah Gousy, the policy and public affairs manager with homeless charity Crisis, revealed that around 2,300 people were eligible to be part of the housing first scheme.

But Ms Gousy said only 84 of these people are currently being supported by homeless projects across the capital – 0.36 per cent.

She said: “There is a huge mismatch between demand for services and the provision of those services.

Ms Gousy added: “23,000 is a conservative number of people who need help with the housing first model right now, that’s just people, for example with drug addictions and mental health problems.

“It doesn’t take account of people who are about to leave care for example.”

Mark Taylor, the assistant director for the Single Homeless Project, added that the biggest barrier to providing accommodation under the homeless first model is accessing homes in the private rented sector.

Mr Taylor said: “The private rented market is very challenging and it is also difficult to locate social housing in boroughs.”

He also another barrier to providing services for homeless people is getting the right staff in place to deliver projects.