No one who has served in the UK armed forces should have to sleep on the streets this Christmas, Prime Minister Andy Burnham says, as he urges councils to draw up plans to house veterans who are sleeping rough.
Downing Street says the prime minister will personally write to councils across England on Armistice Day, 11 November, urging them to offer accommodation for veterans sleeping rough ahead of the festive period. He will set out a simple principle that no one who has served the country should ever be left to sleep rough on the streets. Burnham will ask local authorities to use part of an additional 874 million pounds already announced to tackle homelessness specifically for housing veterans. He says people who stepped forward prepared to put their lives on the line should never lack a roof over their head, and that the country owes them a bed every night, a proper plan and someone in their corner from day one.
Funding for complex needs
Downing Street says an additional 8.7 million pounds will go to eight organisations across the UK to help housing providers support veterans with complex needs, including health or addiction problems. The organisations include Veteran Housing Scotland, Launchpad and SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity. The pledge is part of a wider plan to offer everyone currently sleeping rough a bed this winter. The most recent official figures estimated 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025 in England, a record high, with numbers rising since 2021. The government has committed 4.4 billion pounds in total to end rough sleeping.
A past criticism answered
Burnham previously faced criticism from Conservatives for failing to end rough sleeping while he was mayor of Greater Manchester. He argued the Manchester scheme attracted rough sleepers from surrounding regions and that only if everywhere did it at the same level could rough sleeping be ended. The prime minister is urging any veteran sleeping rough, or anyone supporting them, to call a UK-wide helpline on 0800 9520774 to be connected directly to housing and specialist support. Councils will be asked to work with local organisations and charities to tackle homelessness among veterans.
Why it matters
The commitment lands ahead of Remembrance Sunday and will be judged by whether councils can turn funding into beds before Christmas. For veterans with complex needs, including health and addiction issues, the success of the programme will depend on whether support continues beyond a single night.
What happens next
Councils receiving the prime minister's letter on Armistice Day will be expected to set out how they will house veterans sleeping rough and how they will spend the homelessness funding set aside for the purpose. With winter approaching and rough sleeping at a record high, the government will face scrutiny over whether the plans are in place in time.
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