George Osborne has denied that “a lack of money” following his harsh austerity programme was the cause of Britain’s homelessness crisis.

The former Conservative chancellor dismissed growing warnings that the severe spending cuts he introduced were behind the explosion in rough sleeping, saying: “No, I entirely reject that.”

“It’s not a lack of money. That’s not a consequence of austerity – that’s just a consequence of bad policy,” Mr Osborne insisted.

The denial came despite the revelation that child homelessness is at a 12-year high, with 123,600 minors in temporary accommodation in England – a 70 per cent rise since the Conservatives came into power

Nearly 600 homeless people died last year in England and Wales, other official figures showed this week, a 24 per cent increase over the past five years.

And a British Medical Journal report concluded that austerity was at the heart of the rise in rough-sleeping from 1,768 in 2010 to 4,751 in 2017 – although charities believed the true figure was much higher.

Cheaper social housing has withered, support programmes run by local authorities and others have been slashed, with benefit cuts – and harsh sanctions which remove benefits – also blamed.

Interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Osborne – who was sacked by Theresa May and quit as an MP last year – argued that poverty would have been worse without austerity.

The causes of homelessness Show all 7 1 /7 The causes of homelessness The causes of homelessness Family Breakdown Relationship breakdown, usually between young people and their parents or step-parents, is a major cause of youth homelessness. Around six in ten young people who come to Centrepoint say they had to leave home because of arguments, relationship breakdown or being told to leave. Many have experienced long-term problems at home, often involving violence, leaving them without the family support networks that most of us take for granted The causes of homelessness Complex needs Young people who come to Centrepoint face a range of different and complex problems. More than a third have a mental health issue, such as depression and anxiety, another third need to tackle issues with substance misuse. A similar proportion also need to improve their physical health. These problems often overlap, making it more difficult for young people to access help and increasing the chances of them becoming homeless Getty/iStock The causes of homelessness Deprivation Young people's chances of having to leave home are higher in areas of high deprivation and poor prospects for employment and education. Many of those who experience long spells of poverty can get into problem debt, which makes it harder for them to access housing Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Gang Crime Homeless young people are often affected by gang-related problems. In some cases, it becomes too dangerous to stay in their local area meaning they can end up homeless. One in six young people at Centrepoint have been involved in or affected by gang crime Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Exclusion From School Not being in education can make it much more difficult for young people to access help with problems at home or health problems. Missing out on formal education can also make it more difficult for them to move into work Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Leaving Care Almost a quarter of young people at Centrepoint have been in care. They often have little choice but to deal with the challenges and responsibilities of living independently at a young age. Traumas faced in their early lives make care leavers some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities, with higher chances of poor outcomes in education, employment and housing. Their additional needs mean they require a higher level of support to maintain their accommodation Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Refugees Around 13 per cent of young people at Centrepoint are refugees or have leave to remain, meaning it isn't safe to return home. This includes young people who come to the UK as unaccompanied minors, fleeing violence or persecution in their own country. After being granted asylum, young people sometimes find themselves with nowhere to go and can end up homeless Getty Images/iStockphoto

Asked about the rising number of “deaths in doorways”, he said: “The country was close to bankrupt – you know, the famous letter we got when we walked in the Treasury, ‘there’s no money left’.”

Mr Osborne claimed the criticism he did get was as the person who “put up VAT, put up stamp duty, got rid of the non-dom tax regime” – prompting the suggestion he met “the wrong people”.

But he argued: “The tax rises that I either introduced, or attempted to introduce, tuned out to be amongst the most controversial. The public expend savings were a necessary part of a package of getting this country back on its feet.”

He said the Rough Sleepers Initiative, set up by Tony Blair’s government, had been “very effective” – underlining policy action was the key – but experts say it was less of a priority after the Coalition came into power, in 2010.

Shadow housing secretary Melanie Onn said: “Conservatives like George Osborne are in denial about their responsibility for the homelessness crisis.

“The rapidly rising homelessness we've seen since 2010 is a direct result of the Tories' short-sighted cuts to housing investment, social security benefits and hostel funding.”

On Brexit, Mr Osborne attacked what he called the reckless decision to pursue a no-deal option, saying: “I don’t think the country voted to mobilise the Army, stockpile medicine, hoard food and go around the world buying every fridge available.

“That is not what was offered and that is now what is happening.”

And he argued that a general election was an under-reported likelihood for 2019 because “the simplest way to solve political impasses has been to return to the public”.

He praised the current attempts by MPs to block a no-deal Brexit, saying: “The British political system is trying to pull the country back from this cliff edge of the referendum result.

“The reason why Parliament is now actively talking about things like the Norway option of a relationship with the EU is precisely because the political system is now trying to act as a check on what essentially is a reckless decision – that is to precipitously leave the European Union without an agreement”