Funding doubles ahead of Downing Street summit

The extra £432m for tackling homelessness comes on top of an initial £442m from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government budgets allocated before March 2027, bringing total rough sleeping funding to almost £900m by the end of the parliament.

The Downing Street summit on Monday will bring together businesses, charities, housing providers and local leaders to create more lasting change, as part of efforts to get people off the streets by Christmas.

Burnham: 'Rough sleeping isn't a fact of life'

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the prime minister said the doubling of spending meant support would run beyond this winter, through the rest of the parliament.

Burnham said he did not accept rough sleeping, that government cannot end it alone, and that every part of society is needed behind the effort.

As mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham introduced schemes such as A Bed Every Night to offer emergency accommodation. The number of rough sleepers there fell under the scheme, then began to increase again.

Burnham said the rise happened because his region was the only place providing that level of support, so people travelled to Greater Manchester to access it. He has said ending rough sleeping nationally is only possible if all areas are pulling in the same direction, which the funding is designed to achieve.

Industry and charity partners pledge homes and support

The summit gathered a range of pledges from businesses and charities:

• •The National Housing Federation is working with housing associations to identify at least 2,000 potential homes and bed spaces, including empty properties.
• •Virgin Media O2 will provide practical digital support to frontline organisations.
• •St Mungo's and Haircuts4Homeless will work with L'Oréal on hair salons and wellbeing provision for people who have slept rough.

Housing secretary Angela Rayner called it a big ambition, saying the government would stand firm on giving everyone the chance of a way off the streets this Christmas. In her view, putting a roof over people's heads comes first, with Christmas only the start of work on the root causes of homelessness.

Charity welcome and opposition criticism

Shelter's acting CEO Mairi MacRae said the funding showed the government understands that a safe home is not a privilege, it is a necessity.

Shadow housing secretary Katie Lam accused Burnham of throwing another £432m at a problem he failed to solve in Greater Manchester. She claimed rough sleeping has hit record highs under Labour, saying their answer is always more taxpayers' money and empty promises.

Lam said chancellor John Healey must use his budget that week to cut taxes for working people, control the benefits bill and stop pushing up energy prices.

The prime minister has pledged to offer every rough sleeper in England a safe route off the streets or wider support as a central part of his premiership. Specialist outreach teams and new accommodation spaces are operating in Coventry, with further provision coming in Plymouth and Camden over the coming weeks.