PM confident every rough sleeper will have route off the street by Christmas as funding doubles

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced confidence that every person sleeping rough will be offered a route off the streets or wider support before Christmas, supported by an additional £432 million in funding. The new funding, to be confirmed at Wednesday’s Budget, brings total investment behind the commitment to £874 million, extending support beyond March 2027 and through the end of this Parliament. The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s pledge on his first day in office to treat rough sleeping as a solvable issue rather than an inevitability.

The government has already begun urgent action, with specialist outreach teams and new bedspaces operating in Coventry, while further provision is being rolled out in Plymouth and Camden in the coming weeks. The initial £442 million investment focused on ensuring everyone who needs it is offered a route off the streets before Christmas, while the new funding ensures support continues beyond winter, providing continuity for frontline services and helping people move into settled accommodation.

The Prime Minister will host the first-ever Rough Sleeping Summit at Downing Street, bringing together businesses, charities, housing providers and local leaders to mobilise resources and expertise for lasting change. Organisations attending are making significant new commitments, including the National Housing Federation’s plan to identify at least 2,000 potential homes and bedspaces, including empty properties that could be brought back into use.

Major organisations are also pledging practical support, such as Virgin Media O2 providing digital assistance to frontline organisations and L’Oréal Group launching a partnership with St Mungo’s and Haircuts4Homeless. These commitments aim to help people access not only safe accommodation but also employment opportunities and long-term support to rebuild their lives.