Andy Burnham homeless pledge faces strain as rough sleeping numbers rise

The pledge made by Andy Burnham to get rough sleepers housed before Christmas is in jeopardy, according to the Guardian. Official statistics show that 8,748 people were sleeping rough in England in June, which is the highest number recorded since November 2025. Between January and June, the number of rough sleepers increased by nearly 1,000 people. Only 15 percent of those individuals were found accommodation. [1]

The Guardian reported that a government minister confirmed Labour hopes to offer a bed to every rough sleeper in England, but warned that a chronic housing shortage is hampering efforts. The BBC, ITVX, and Yahoo News Canada all report that Burnham stated veterans should not be sleeping rough this Christmas. ITVX added that Burnham pledged an offer of accommodation for veterans sleeping rough before the holiday. [1][2][3][5]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Burnham previously urged local authorities to use part of a 874 million pounds homelessness funding package to house ex-service personnel before Christmas. Downing Street also announced 8.7 million pounds in additional funding to address veteran homelessness. FTMQ News also reported that Burnham made ending rough sleeping his first pledge after taking office in July 2026, adding 432 million pounds to homelessness funding in the Budget. [9][10]