Burnham launches ‘national drive’ to get rough sleepers off streets by Christmas
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has launched a new initiative to eliminate rough sleeping in England by Christmas. The plan involves a £442m funding commitment to provide routes out of homelessness for those currently living on the streets.
Why it matters
This policy represents a significant shift in government strategy toward homelessness, setting a high-stakes deadline for a persistent social issue.
Burnham says local leaders must offer people a route out of homelessness if they want one./Getty Images Burnham says local leaders must offer people a route out of homelessness if they want one./Getty Images Homelessness Burnham launches ‘national drive’ to get rough sleepers off streets by Christmas Prime minister urges local leaders to act as homelessness campaigners welcome move but say more needs to be done
I won’t abandon anyone to sleep rough on our streets. That’s my £442m promise
Prefer the Guardian on Google Andy Burnham has urged local leaders to offer all rough sleepers in England a route off the streets by Christmas, as he pledges another £100m to end street homelessness.
Arguing in the Guardian that rough sleeping has become so common it now “feels like part of the scenery”, Burnham promised he would mount a Covid-style campaign to get everyone off the streets this winter.
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