UK Prime Minister pledges £340 m national plan to end rough sleeping

Andy Burnham announced a national drive to end rough sleeping as his first major policy initiative upon becoming prime minister on Monday, July 20, 2026. In his inaugural speech outside 10 Downing Street, Burnham committed the government to ending long-term rough sleeping across the UK, framing the issue as central to his vision of a more preventative state.

The policy will be backed by an initial 340 million pounds in funding, which officials said represents the opening phase of a five-year program. This investment is expected to provide 1,200 homes and intensive support for at least 3,000 people in England. Burnham stated that work would begin immediately, focusing on acquiring suitable homes and helping those who have been sleeping rough for extended periods move into secure housing.

The announcement comes amid record levels of rough sleeping nationally. Government statistics published in February estimated that 4,793 people were sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025 in England, a record high and the fourth consecutive annual increase. In London, figures for the first quarter of 2026 showed 3,944 people sleeping rough, though this was a decrease from the same period...