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The government is set to double its funding to fulfill the prime minister’s promise of providing every rough sleeper in England with a pathway off the streets by Christmas. Initially, a £442 million package was announced, aimed at offering emergency accommodation and practical support to those living without shelter. Ahead of the first Rough Sleeping Summit held at Downing Street on Monday, an additional £432 million is expected to be added to this fund in the upcoming Budget on Wednesday, boosting the total investment to £874 million and extending support beyond March 2027 until the end of the current Parliament.
According to official reports, the aim is to ensure every rough sleeper can move into accommodation by Christmas or receive support to prevent them from sleeping rough. Although individuals may decline offers of accommodation, ministers emphasize that support services will still be made available. Initial funding has already helped establish specialist outreach teams and new bed spaces in Coventry, with further rollouts planned for areas including Plymouth and Camden in north London. Ahead of the summit, the prime minister stressed that rough sleeping should not be accepted as inevitable and highlighted the importance of uniting businesses, charities, and local leaders to help end the issue permanently.
The National Housing Federation is collaborating with housing associations to identify at least 2,000 potential homes and bed spaces, including vacant properties that could be repurposed. However, questions linger about whether this number of accommodations will be adequate, as it remains unclear how many of these units are self-contained or able to house multiple people. Recent data estimated that on a single night in autumn 2025, around 4,793 people were sleeping rough across England. While homelessness organizations have praised the government’s focus on rough sleeping, many urge for more extensive measures within the Budget.
Critics, including the shadow housing secretary Katie Lam, argue that rough sleeping has reached record highs under Labour and accuse the prime minister of failing to solve the problem during his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester. During his time in office, a scheme called Bed Every Night provided over 600 beds each night, and the number of rough sleepers dropped from 268 in 2017 to 125 by 2020, although the target to end rough sleeping by 2020 was missed. Numbers later climbed again, rising to 197 by 2025. Lam also called for reforms such as restoring Local Housing Allowance rates to match local rents, a step supported by a coalition of 40 organisations, which they believe would prevent homelessness and reduce dependence on temporary accommodation. The shadow secretary urged the government to focus on easing the cost of living and delivering better value for taxpayers rather than increasing spending without clear outcomes
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