Burnham to end rough sleeping

Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, made ending rough sleeping his first pledge when entering Downing Street in July, with a commitment ‘to get everyone in for Christmas’. As part of a £442m package, emergency accommodation will be provided to help end the need for rough sleeping, together with a package of practical support for health needs.

According to official government data there were an estimated 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single night in England in the autumn of 2025, a 96% increase in 5 years. However rough sleeping does not include those people staying in temporary accommodation like hostels or sofa surfing with family or friends, which means the data significantly underestimates the scale of the homelessness problem. The causes of homelessness are also varied and complex which means the ongoing help for people will take time and require a multi-agency approach which includes support from front line charities such as LATH.

Mick Tobin, LATH Chairman says, ‘this focus on the issue of homelessness from the government is welcomed. But we know that solving the problem is not just about a roof, it is much bigger, and helping people rebuild their lives takes time and every case is different and requires a tailored approach. At LATH we will be working with Cheshire East Council, our MP Connor Naismith and other agencies to see how Andy Burnham’s pledge translates on the ground here in Crewe and Nantwich’.