YORK’S Big Issue sellers will stage a public rally next month and call on politicians to address a growing national problem with homelessness.

The sellers will gather in St Helen’s Square on October 10 to mark World Homeless Day and highlight the plight facing those living in poverty, from residents in temporary accommodation to rough sleepers.

Liam Hughes sells the magazine outside of Marks and Spencer, in Parliament Street, and is leading the rally with Norbert Lawrie, a seller in Goodramgate.

The pair say they were forced into action by research carried out by Heriot-Watt University for the homeless charity Crisis, which found the number of homeless people in Britain will reach 575,000 by 2041, up from 236,000 in 2016.

The number of people sleeping rough will more than quadruple from 9,100 in 2016 to 40,100 over the same period, according to the research.

Mr Hughes said: “This in itself spurred us on and into action and we formed a local activist group around York Big Issue sellers and supporters, York Big Issue Crew, to organise this rally and visible vigil.

“The theme we have chosen for the evening is children and a possible homeless future of a life on the streets.

“It is an unthinkable reality unless Government takes appropriate and immediate action.”

According to the latest figures, collected in the autumn of 2016 and published in January 2017, 4,134 people in England are estimated to be sleeping rough every night.

The World Homeless Day event beings at 6pm and will open with a prayer lead by Reverend Dr John Schofield, of Trinity Methodist Church Monkgate and Pastor to York Big Issue sellers. The event will also have guest speakers and music from buskers. Liam took over a pitch in Parliament Street after the death of Peter Toulson earlier this year.