The Passage, which has Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols as patron, said: "The people we work with have not chosen to be on the streets; circumstances have put them there."

In a statement, chief executive Mick Clarke strongly condemned the new enforcement powers outlined by the Home Secretary.

"We believe that everyone deserves a place to call home; that no one should ever have to sleep on the streets, or indeed in a tent on the streets," he said.

"This policy risks demonising the poorest in our society without even beginning to address the real issues facing our country regarding poverty and homelessness," Clarke added.

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