On his first day as prime minister, Andy Burnham made a promise to end rough sleeping and introduced a new funding plan for the issue. He committed £340 million over five years to help people who are sleeping rough and to provide intensive support for thousands. This move comes after a sharp rise in the number of people sleeping on the streets, with over 4,700 counted in one night last autumn.
That number was a dramatic increase from previous years, showing that the problem has worsened since 2010. The rise in homelessness is not just about people sleeping rough, but also about families and children in temporary housing. In the past, the number of homeless people had been going down, especially between 2003 and 2010.
Back then, the government worked with local councils to offer early help and support to people at risk of losing their homes. But since 2010, the situation has changed, with more people ending up without stable housing. A lack of affordable housing and changes in benefit rules have made it harder for people to stay housed.
Even though the national welfare budget didn’t shrink, local authorities still had to help people when they became homeless. Many councils had to use private housing for temporary accommodation, sometimes even properties that were once part of public ownership. The cost of dealing with homelessness is high, with around £5 million spent each day on the issue.
Burnham’s funding plan is meant to be part of a broader solution, but experts say more long-term investment is needed. Some countries like Finland have shown that giving people housing quickly can reduce homelessness over time. Finland’s approach focused on providing support and housing together, which helped keep the number of homeless people low for many years.
However, recent cuts in benefits have caused a return to higher homelessness numbers in Finland, similar to what has happened in the UK. The UK has also tried similar methods, like Greater Manchester’s “A Bed Every Night” program. That program helped reduce the number of rough sleepers from over 260 to under 90 between 2017 and 2021.
Unfortunately, the numbers climbed back to 197 by 2025, partly because national support was not strong enough. Burnham’s own experience as mayor of Manchester helped him understand the issue better, and he said that working together was key. During the pandemic, a national effort called “Everyone In” helped bring all rough sleepers into shelter.
But that was only a short-term fix, not a long-term solution. A man he spoke with after his speech said that even if he had a home, the biggest fear was being alone. This shows how important it is to offer more than just housing to people who have been through difficult times.
Support for mental health and social connection is as important as building homes. To make lasting change, the government needs to invest in long-term support and workforce planning. Burnham’s leadership has been supported by new appointments, including a chancellor with experience in housing policy.
This could help shift how the government thinks about housing and social care as economic issues, not just welfare costs. Building more affordable rental homes could help many people move out of temporary housing and into stable lives. Burnham said this is a moment to bring back hope, but some are cautious about how realistic that hope is.
Still, researchers say that hope can come from people working together and building local solutions. With the right support, Burnham and his team have a chance to make real progress in ending homelessness. But success will depend on local councils getting the help they need to provide long-term care and support.
Before his first speech, Burnham visited a charity in London to better understand the situation on the ground. He said that working together was the only way to solve these problems. He also went out with charity workers to check on people sleeping rough in the area.
Burnham told the charity’s leader that he had seen what it was like to deal with homelessness firsthand. A well-known figure in the charity world said Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping was encouraging. He also welcomed Burnham’s plan to build a more preventative state.
Burnham has also said that reforming social care is one of his top priorities. He believes it’s essential to prevent the NHS from collapsing due to the strain on care services. Burnham also mentioned that he wants to reduce the rising costs of welfare benefits.
He has also said he will increase defense spending as part of his national vision. Burnham believes that protecting the UK requires more investment in defense. He said he will fund these defense plans without compromise.
IMAGE: Andrew Burnham, British politician and Secretary of State for Health, speaking during the Health Hotel session “One in three: Tackling cancer is an election issue” at the Hilton Metropole, Brighton, during the Labour Party Conference 2009.. Photo: Credit: http://www.acumenimages.com. Uploaded to Flickr by The Health Hotel. / Wikimedia, taken 2009-09-29, CC BY-SA 2.0