The voluntary and statutory sectors must work together to stop vulnerable homeless people remaining on the streets, homelessness charities Crisis and Shelter have urged.

Their scheme, Millennium Plus, which supports and advises homeless people via "winterwatch" multi-agency projects across England, helped 1,399 people last year. Of these, 30 per cent had drug problems, 28 per cent had alcohol problems and 20 per cent had mental heath problems.

The charities recommend that agencies adopt the Millennium Plus model to help people at risk of homelessness, pointing out that it enables the most vulnerable people to have their problems assessed individually and then find solutions through support services from the relevant agencies.

Shelter's director of housing, Christine Parrish, said homeless people remained stuck on the streets because agencies did not have a co-ordinated response.

"It is vital that all agencies - government and voluntary - recognise the importance of working together to tackle the problems," she said.

- Millennium Plus: A Good Practice Model for Tackling Street Homelessness from 020 7505 4699