Chloe used to sleep rough and says she welcomes the initiative Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled a £442m drive to get every rough sleeper in England into accommodation this winter, declaring his ambition to “get everyone in for Christmas”. The pledge marks a major escalation in the government’s homelessness strategy, with emergency accommodation, health support and a longer-term push for permanent homes. Burnham sets Christmas deadline for street homelessness Burnham made ending rough sleeping his first pledge after entering Downing Street in July. The latest package includes £102m of new funding and aims to provide immediate accommodation alongside intensive support for mental health and drug and alcohol problems. More than 1,000 permanent homes are also planned over the next three years. Councils and mayors will help design local responses, with greater support directed towards areas facing the biggest problems. Thousands remain trapped despite official promises Official figures recorded 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single night in England in autumn 2025 — a 96% increase in five years. Charities warn the annual snapshot significantly underestimates the true scale of homelessness. The government says it wants to build on the pandemic-era Everyone In scheme, which helped around 37,000 people into hotels and temporary accommodation from March 2020. But Shelter found only about a quarter had subsequently secured settled accommodation. Meron has been rough sleeping in a tent for about two months Those on the streets say a bed is only the beginning Chloe, 27, who previously slept rough in London after contact with care and foster services, said people on the streets would welcome a secure home — but warned that mental health, financial pressures and hidden homelessness also needed tackling. Meron, who has spent two months sleeping in a tent in central London after losing an Amazon warehouse job, said he was applying for work but struggling with London’s costs. Opposition warns the clock is ticking Crisis called the announcement “really significant”, while Shelter described it as a “game-changing move”. Both urged ministers to go further on prevention and social housing. But Conservative James Cleverly accused Burnham of offering too little detail on delivery and funding. The Liberal Democrats and Reform UK also warned that without a long-term strategy, people could return to the streets once the Christmas deadline passes. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgvy2n6grno
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