In just four days James is facing the prospect of sleeping on the street. He was released from prison in August and given temporary probation accommodation in Somerset, but that is about to expire and he has nowhere to go.

“It is scary,” the 37-year-old said. “I am not asking for special treatment. But literally nowhere wants to help – I have contacted MPs, solicitors, probation and the council. I am quite tempted to just get myself recalled to prison because it is November. It is cold.”

Charities and probation staff have said that prisoners are at risk of being released into street homelessness, exposing a “fatal flaw” in Andy Burnham’s plan to try to end rough sleeping in England by Christmas .

With hundreds of prisoners being released early in England and Wales to try to ease prison overcrowding, there are concerns the number sleeping rough could start to rise just as the weather turns cold.

Tania Bassett, from Napo, the trade union for probation staff, said most housing options were already full…