BURY'S homeless population has more than halved in the last nine years, new figures show.

In the 12 months up to April, 198 people in the borough were classed as homeless, compared with 444 nine years ago, according to the latest Government figures.

It means 2.5 out of every 1,000 people in Bury have nowhere to live, compared with 3.9 in Rochdale.

The council's deputy leader, Cllr Rishi Shori said: "The council is proud of its improvements in helping homeless people and their families.

"Bury has not used bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless people since November 2008 and has no intention of doing so in the future."

In recent years, town hall bosses have undertook a major drive to help people avoid a life on the streets.

In the last three months, an early intervention scheme has saved 251 Bury families from eviction.

People at risk of defaulting on rent or mortgage agreements are sometimes offered emergency loans to ward off court hearings.

Cllr Shori added: "The council introduced a planning policy requiring a proportion of new-build homes to be affordable housing, and we're working on a programme for affordable rented properties in collaboration with housing associations and the Homes and Communities Agency.

"Some 150 units have been built in recent years with funding approval recently given for another 200 units across Bury.

"We also have a landlord accreditation scheme which enables us to help people into good standard private rented properties."

In a separate project, the council has helped 53 single homeless people back into work since February 2013 and 84 others into voluntary roles.

Housing Link is a Bury-based charity which helps single people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.

Its director, Graham Evens, welcomed the figures but expressed concern that the number of people presenting themselves to the council as homeless was rising compared to the number of those accepted as being homeless.

"Over the years, the way data is collected has changed and the general attitude to categorising homelessness has become more aggressive and selective so, potentially, these figures don't necessarily equate like with like," said Mr Evens.

He added: "There is a definite upwards trend from 2009 onwards in total presentations not matched percentage-wise by the numbers of acceptances.

"The gap between the two appears to be widening.

"There appears to be a growing need for supported accommodation and the needs of those presenting are also increasing."

Mr Evens congratulated the council for confronting the issue head-on at a time of financial constraints.

"The job is not going to get any easier over the next few years, particularly if you also factor in some of the proposed and actual changes taking place to the benefit and housing benefit systems, which most housing experts believe can only worsen the situation," he added.