The money has been given to boroughs in the capital to spend on socialhousing schemes such as loft conversions and converting bedsits intofamily homes.
A department spokeswoman said this will be of particular benefit to someof the capital's most vulnerable families, particularly those in crampedaccommodation where a number of children are forced to share rooms.
She said: "The emphasis is on social housing, improving homes andincludes new builds. This is part of our commitment to create an extra10,000 social homes a year, which will increase the number by 50 percent by 2008." But homelessness charity Shelter said the money is notenough to address the extent of the problem of children living in badhousing. The charity's latest report, Against the Odds, has revealedthat one in seven UK children suffer from bad housing. This equates toaround 1.6m children that are either homeless, living in temporaryaccommodation or forced to endure overcrowded conditions.
A Shelter spokeswoman said: "The problem is just so big that this latestannouncement is welcome but simply not enough."
- www.shelter.org.uk/againsttheodds.
