Prime Minister pledges winter housing for every rough sleeper in England

Andy Burnham declared that every person sleeping rough in England will receive accommodation this winter, backed by a £442 million package that includes £102 million of fresh funding. The scheme combines emergency housing, intensive wrap-around services such as mental-health and addiction treatment, and a longer-term goal of constructing more than 1,000 permanent homes within three years. Burnham plans an autumn summit to coordinate efforts among charities, businesses and faith organisations, with councils and mayors tasked with targeting the hardest-hit areas.

Homelessness charities Crisis and Shelter welcomed the move, calling it a turning point, while Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverley warned that the funding source and rollout remain unclear. The pledge follows the earlier “Everyone In” programme that housed about 37,000 people during the pandemic, and comes as official counts show roughly 4,793 rough sleepers on a single night in autumn 2025, a steep rise over five years.