“On my first day as Prime Minister, I’m announcing this government’s commitment to finally end long-term rough sleeping across the UK at the earliest opportunity.” – Andy Burnham, 20th July 2026
Today in his first speech as our new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham pledged to end rough sleeping. The Prime Minister chose to spend the first moments of his first day as PM with people experiencing rough sleeping and ended his first speech as PM with a single word: ‘hope’. He set out his belief that the rising numbers of individuals having to sleep rough is down to choice, not theirs but the choice of politicians, and therefore he is making the choice to change government’s approach. He has pledged to tackle homelessness through ‘the acquisition of suitable homes, identifying those most in need and starting to provide housing and support without delay.’
At Jimmy’s Cambridge we welcome this approach, it chimes directly with our own announcement on 1st July this year that we need to provide more and better accommodation to our city’s most vulnerable people. We currently provide Cambridge’s only complex dual diagnosis accommodation and support service, a service that has what equates to a two-three year waiting list, meaning some of our city’s most vulnerable people will in all likelihood never get the access to that service they so badly need.
Our 25 bed assessment centre on East Road, again the only one of its kind in the City needs to relocate. We need to provide more longer term, suitable options, with wrap around 24 hour support to those who need it most. We pride ourselves on our services being professionally led, our support workers are trained, qualified, empathetic individuals who work tirelessly to support our residents and beyond.
We offer more than crisis response, our pathway is not just our assessment centre or dual diagnosis hostel, its also a range of move on accommodation options, which we need to provide, because if we don’t, there really is no where else for people to go.
So, we welcome the announcement today, we want to work in partnership with central and local government, and we welcome a stronger more aligned approach to the housing first initiative.
Our plans for our future need tangible support from statutory services, central and local government. No one should have to sleep rough on the streets of Cambridge, and Jimmy’s is here to ensure no one has to get trapped in a cycle of no accommodation, and no support. From Street Floor to Front Door, Jimmy’s is rising to the new Prime Minister’s challenge.
CEO Natasha Davies discussed Andy Burnham’s commitment on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire – watch it here:
If you have any questions about how you can get involved, whether that be volunteering, fundraising (or a bit of both!) – please reach out to the team at info@jimmyscambridge.org.uk.