Online claims about a lease for Number 10 North in Manchester are incorrect, according to Manchester City Council and the Cabinet Office. The decision notice shared widely on social media does not relate to the Downing Street unit.
Lease Notice Misinterpreted
Images of a council decision notice have been shared with claims that they show a lease for the Manchester offices used by Number 10 North was agreed before Andy Burnham was elected to Parliament in June. However, both Manchester City Council and the Cabinet Office say the notice has nothing to do with Number 10 North.
The council says Number 10 North is located elsewhere within Heron House, in offices already leased by the Government. The decision notice, published on June 10, details approval of a new lease for a vacant second-floor office suite at Heron House with an unnamed occupant.
Theories have circulated online after it was confirmed that Number 10 North would be based in the building in Manchester's Albert Square. Heron House also hosts GCHQ and the Manchester Register Office, as well as a Slug and Lettuce bar.
Official Responses
Manchester City Council told Full Fact that the decision notice relates to a part of the building let to various organisations in recent years. A spokesperson said: “We can confirm that this lease deal has been in motion for some time and was concluded in June — it is a lease in a different part of Heron House and it is not linked to No 10 in the North or GCHQ.”
The Cabinet Office also said the notice was unrelated to Number 10 North, which was established within existing office space already leased by the Government. Preparatory work took place during the Labour leadership contest, after Mr Burnham was elected as an MP.
Reform UK politicians have raised questions about the document, with Lee Anderson MP writing to Mr Burnham about the lease. Mr Burnham was elected MP for Makerfield on June 18 and announced plans for Number 10 North on June 29.
NHS Football Claims False
Social media posts claiming the NHS is considering offering Premier League match tickets as a treatment for depression are not true. NHS England described the claim as “not true”, explaining that a small local pilot in Gloucestershire for lower-league football was not for Premier League tickets.
The pilot, announced in July 2025, saw Forest Green Rovers, which competes in the National League, team up with doctors' surgeries across Stroud to make football part of mental health treatment plans. No evidence exists for any NHS initiatives treating depression with Premier League football.
