Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declared ending rough sleeping his moral mission as he announces a national drive to give everyone on the streets an offer of a bed this winter. The scheme will "get everyone in for Christmas" with emergency accommodation and help rolled out in England later this year.
Funding and support
Downing Street said the support is backed by £442 million, with areas of greatest need receiving the largest share to get people out of the cold in winter. An additional £102 million will be provided on top of the £340 million announced during Mr Burnham's first week in office, funded through uncommitted budgets at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Mr Burnham will also convene a "first of its kind" national summit in the autumn on ending rough sleeping, bringing together leaders from business, finance, health and faith communities to explore their role.
Prime Minister's moral mission
Writing for The Mirror, Mr Burnham said: "Ending rough sleeping is a moral mission for me. It always has been. Growing up, I could see the effects of deindustrialisation on our streets. I saw what happened when good jobs disappeared and hollowed out communities were left to pick up the pieces."
He added: "And I learned early on that when things go wrong for a friend, a neighbour or even a stranger - in fact, especially a stranger - you don't just turn your back on them. You stick out your hand, you dust them off, and you help them get on."
The move follows his pledge in his first speech as Prime Minister outside No10 last month to end rough sleeping. He told the country: "I will soon go through that door behind me and issue my first instruction: to end rough sleeping in our country."
Record figures and reactions
Official figures showed a record number of people slept rough on England's streets in 2025. There were 4,793 rough sleepers in autumn 2025, a 3% hike on the previous year, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. This represents a 171% increase on 2010 when the snapshot approach was introduced. Almost half - 43% - were in London and the South East.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: "When the Prime Minister pledged to end rough sleeping, we said we'd move urgently from words to action. Today we're delivering on that promise. This funding will help thousands of people leave the streets behind, move into secure homes and get the support they need to rebuild their lives."
Housing charity Shelter called the announcement a "game-changing move and exactly the kind of bold leadership needed to end the housing emergency". Chief executive Sarah Elliot added: "It's reassuring plans for emergency support are backed up by a commitment to deliver over 1000 settled homes to get people off the streets for good."
Big Issue founder Lord John Bird said the Covid pandemic's 'Everyone In' scheme "proved that when we decide rough sleeping is unacceptable, we can act and get people in off the streets". He added: "This Christmas commitment is a welcome return to that spirit. But it's important that people are not just brought in from the cold for a few weeks, only to be sent back out again."
Critics have pointed to Mr Burnham's record as Greater Manchester Mayor, where rough sleeping figures rose again after an initial decline. Pressed on the figures, he referred to Manchester's 'A Bed Every Night' scheme and said: "We were the only place that was doing it and you won't be able to get the numbers down if you're the only place... So it taught me that the only way is to do this together."
