Andy Burnham, the newly appointed Prime Minister, has made a firm commitment to eradicate rough sleeping nationwide as one of his initial actions in office. Standing outside No10, the Labour leader declared his intention to tackle the issue head-on by stating, “I will step through that door behind me and give my first directive: to put an end to rough sleeping in our nation.”
Describing rough sleeping as one of the most severe injustices in the country, Downing Street announced a significant £340 million funding injection to assist at least 3,000 rough sleepers, supporting Burnham’s pledge.
Prior to his inaugural address as Prime Minister, Burnham visited The Passage, a homelessness charity in Victoria, London, which boasts the Prince of Wales as its royal patron. Reflecting on the “Everyone In” initiative established during the Covid crisis, Burnham emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration in addressing homelessness, drawing on his experience as the former Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Government data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government revealed that in autumn 2025, there were 4,793 rough sleepers in England, marking a 3% increase from the previous year and a substantial 171% rise since 2010. Almost half of the rough sleepers, 43%, were concentrated in London and the South East.
Accompanying charity workers on their daily outreach to rough sleepers in the Victoria area, Burnham actively engaged in food preparation at The Passage, highlighting his firsthand experience and dedication to tackling homelessness. His proactive approach received praise from various figures, including Big Issue founder Lord John Bird and Crisis Chief Executive Matt Downie, who commended Burnham’s immediate focus on addressing rough sleeping and building a more preventive state to combat homelessness effectively.
