Burnam called for a plan to get homeless people in England off the streets by Christmas
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called on local leaders in England to offer a way off the streets by Christmas to every person sleeping rough who wants help. The government will allocate a total of 442 million pounds to a national campaign against homelessness, according to The Guardian World.
Burnham had previously announced the allocation of 340 million pounds over three years to create additional housing for people sleeping on the streets. According to officials, these funds are expected to provide 1,200 new housing units and support for 3,000 people over the course of five years.
The government will allocate an additional 102 million pounds for services designed to help people get off the streets, including medical care and addiction treatment support. Of this amount, 8.4 million pounds is earmarked for charities and community organizations through the Community Ending Homelessness Fund.
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Burnam stated that he would not dictate to local authorities and mayors how to spend the funds, as they know the needs of their districts better. At the same time, the government is not considering legislative changes that would require local authorities to provide housing to every person sleeping on the street who requests it. Currently, this obligation applies only to people with priority needs, particularly families with children.
The prime minister’s aides acknowledge that some people may remain on the streets even on Christmas, as the authorities cannot force them to move into housing. The government has also not set a specific target for reducing the number of people sleeping on the streets, stating only that it expects real progress.
According to the latest government estimate, in the fall of 2025, 4,793 people were recorded sleeping on the streets in England—a record high. The charity Shelter welcomed the initiative but emphasized that nearly 178,000 children are living in temporary housing and also need permanent homes.
