THE number of homeless in Bolton has dropped, according to latest Government figures.

Statistics released by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reveal that, in the first quarter of this year, there were 167 people in Bolton classed as being homeless and in priority need.

During the same period last year, there were 193 people classed as homeless, which shows a 13 per cent drop in homeless cases. This was more than the eight per cent regional reduction in the number of people becoming homeless in the North-west.

For official figures, a person can be considered homeless while staying in temporary accommodation and not necessarily living on the streets.

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: "While we welcome the figures from last year, there is a note of caution

"The homelessness figures have been rising since the turn of the year and the housing market has slowed up.

"This means more people having to stay in temporary accommodation for longer periods."

Bolton Council has a range of schemes to help tackle homelessness involving health, police, probation, employment, and voluntary agencies.

Links have also been developed with prisons to make accommodation arrangements for prisoners being released, and a mental health discharge project is being set up.

The number of people becoming homeless has continued to decrease nationally for more than a year.

The Government has invested more than £200 million over the last three years in services to prevent homelessness.

New laws were also introduced under the Homelessness Act 2002 to ensure all local authorities have a strategy in place to reduce homelessness.