Burnham urges wider society to help end rough sleeping by Christmas
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called on councils, charities and communities to join efforts to get rough sleepers off the streets by Christmas, warning that government funding alone may not achieve it.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, visiting the north-east of England, issued what he called a rallying call to councils, faith organisations and the wider public to help tackle homelessness. He said he felt strongly about the issue and wanted a nationwide push, similar to efforts made during the Covid pandemic, to offer every rough sleeper a chance to come indoors before Christmas.
Burnham acknowledged some people may decline the offer for their own reasons, but stressed that government money alone might not be enough, urging wider society to work together on the goal. Writing in the Guardian, he said rough sleeping had become so common it now feels like part of the scenery, and pledged an additional £100m to address the issue this winter.
As mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham had introduced schemes such as A Bed Every Night to provide emergency accommodation. While rough sleeping numbers initially fell, they later rose again, which he attributed to Greater Manchester being the only area offering that level of support, drawing people from elsewhere. The new funding is intended to make the effort nationwide so all areas move in the same direction.
Burnham noted that leaving people to sleep rough often costs the state more, due to repeated use of accident and emergency services, hospital stays and police contact. He plans to host a summit this autumn bringing together leaders from business, finance, charities, health and faith communities to discuss what role each can play in ending rough sleeping.
He also announced he would donate 15% of the additional salary he receives as prime minister to homelessness causes, continuing a practice he maintained for nearly a decade as mayor of Greater Manchester.
The latest official statistics, published in February, found 4,793 people were sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025 in England — a new record and the fourth consecutive annual rise, with 43% of them in London and the south-east.
