Since Andy Burnham arrived at 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister, he has spoken publicly and pledged to end rough sleeping in the UK.
What had he pledged?
On his first day as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham pledged to end rough sleeping, a plan backed by £340m over five years. Then, on 19th August 2026, he doubled down on his pledge, increasing the funding by £102m and announced his next steps: to offer everyone sleeping rough in England a route off the streets by Christmas.
In his speech in August, the Prime Minister indicated that he would take some of the learnings and actions taken during the pandemic, where rough sleepers were offered temporary accommodation off the streets, to stop the spread of infection of COVID-19.
What does this mean for Jimmy’s?
As a charity who has spent the past 30+ providing long term accommodation and support services for individuals experiencing homelessness in Cambridge, we are delighted to have homelessness at the forefront of the conversation. £442m in funding with funding specifically for the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund, means we will be able to apply for funds to help improve our services and play our part in ending homelessness.
Our Chair of the Board of Trustees Hannah said:
“We are encouraged to see homelessness being treated as a national priority, and this level of investment has the potential to make a real difference. Whilst we welcome the Prime Minister’s stated commitment, at Jimmy’s, we’ve spent over 30 years learning that a bed for the night isn’t enough. Real change can only happen when accommodation is paired with the right support to help people rebuild their lives. We’re ready to work with government, and with our partners here in Cambridge, to make sure this ambition translates into lasting, meaningful change for the people we support.”
Considerations
While we welcome the Prime Minister’s plans, it is imp0ortant to be mindful – research shows that 93% of people experiencing homelessness have a history of significant trauma, many of whom have experienced trauma during childhood.
Providing accommodation for rough sleepers is just one part of the puzzle – this needs to be accompanied by a variety of support services who can help these individuals maintain stable, independent living.
Our Deputy Director of Services Bea Taylor was interviewed on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, who spoke more on what would be needed in order to achieve the Prime Minister’s goal. One of residents Terry, also gave his thoughts. Listen here.
When Andy Burnham first announced his pledge on day 1 of his term as Prime Minister, our CEO Natasha Davies was interviewed about her thoughts – listen here.