As Prime Minister Andy Burnham stood before Parliament this week, he made a stark admission: England's rough sleeping crisis is a "national scandal" that requires urgent action. To address this pressing issue, Burnham pledged to eradicate rough sleeping across the country, allocating an additional £340 million in funding as part of his inaugural speech. The pledge has sparked both hope and scepticism from homelessness charities, who point to increasing numbers on the streets and previous government promises that have yet to deliver.
Frontline outreach workers are witnessing a disturbing trend: rough sleeping is becoming increasingly visible across England's cities. Peter Bancroft, operations manager at Spear, a homelessness charity in south London, notes that the demographics of those affected are diversifying. "We're seeing more people with complex mental health and substance use issues, as well as those impacted by relationship breakdowns or job losses leading to rental arrears," he says. Spear's teams are actively following up on numerous new referrals for rough sleepers across areas such as Wandsworth and Richmond, encountering individuals in makeshift shelters, from tents in graveyards to cars in car parks.
The scale of the challenge is daunting, with recent figures showing that rough sleeping numbers have climbed to 4,793 – a record high. This increase comes despite previous pledges by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson to end rough sleeping and Keir Starmer's commitment to halve long-term rough sleeping during his tenure. The persistent rise underscores the deep-seated issues driving homelessness across the country.
While details of Burnham's plan are still emerging, it is expected that he will build on successful initiatives implemented during his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester, including the 'A Bed Every Night' scheme and a 'Housing First' pilot programme. The 'Housing First' model has guided over 300 people into long-term tenancies by providing stable, permanent homes alongside comprehensive support for multiple issues – rather than relying solely on temporary accommodation.
Francesca Albanese, Executive Director of Policy and Social Change at Crisis, echoes this sentiment: "Past approaches have often focused on 'managing' homelessness through temporary accommodation rather than 'ending' it with permanent housing solutions. The success of Burnham's ambitious pledge will also be intrinsically linked to broader housing policy, particularly his commitment to the 'biggest council housebuilding programme since the post-war period,' a goal that Housing Minister Angela Rayner has acknowledged the country is still far from achieving.