Andy Burnham used his first speech as prime minister to pledge that his government would "end rough sleeping" across the country, announcing £340m of additional funding to acquire homes and provide support "without delay". The pledge echoes a similar promise he made in 2017 as Greater Manchester mayor, and his record there offers a mixed picture of what such a commitment can achieve, with the Conservatives accusing him of making "pledges without any plan for delivery".

The £340m, drawn from uncommitted Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government budgets, is intended to provide 1,200 homes and support for at least 3,000 long-term rough sleepers over five years, on top of the existing £3.6bn National Plan to End Homelessness, taking total funding to over £3.9bn. In Greater Manchester, rough sleeper numbers fell from 268 in 2017 to a low of 90 in 2021 before more than doubling since, standing at 197 in late 2025 – a 26 per cent fall overall, compared with a 1 per cent rise across England over the same period. Charity leaders, including Mustard Tree's Jo Walby, credited Burnham with progress but noted his powers as mayor were limited, while shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly said Burnham "failed" in Manchester and demanded clarity on how the new funding would be paid for.