Burnham urges councils to outline plans on how to tackle veteran homelessness
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Camilla Turner Sunday Political Editor Show biography !Camilla Turner
Camilla's previous roles at The Telegraph include Chief Political Correspondent and Education Editor. And while on the investigations team, she worked on an exposé of corruption in English football. She can be contacted at camilla.turner@telegraph.co.uk or on X @camillahmturner
Published 07 November 2026 7:00pm GMT
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!Homeless veteran
The Prime Minister will write a letter to councils reminding them of their duties under the Armed Forces Covenant, which states that special consideration can be given to veterans Credit: SOPA Images/Thomas Krych
Camilla Turner Sunday Political Editor Show biography !Camilla Turner
Camilla's previous roles at The Telegraph include Chief Political Correspondent and Education Editor. And while on the investigations team, she worked on an exposé of corruption in English football. She can be contacted at camilla.turner@telegraph.co.uk or on X @camillahmturner
Published 07 November 2026 7:00pm GMT
Andy Burnham will write to councils in England to urge them to find accommodation for homeless veterans before Christmas.
The Prime Minister will ask town hall chiefs to draw up specific plans to ensure former soldiers are given specialist support to get off the streets and offered shelter.
Mr Burnham pledged “to end rough sleeping in our country” in his first speech as Prime Minister outside No 10, insisting the Government could fix the problem.
He set a Christmas deadline, taking inspiration from a Covid-era scheme that provided 37,000 people with emergency accommodation by housing them in empty hotels and other temporary shelters.
In his letter to councils, Mr Burnham will highlight their duties under the Armed Forces Covenant, which states that special consideration can be given to veterans, particularly those who were injured in service.
Writing for The Telegraph, he said: “This Remembrance Sunday, as we honour those who have served and sacrificed for us, I want to set a new operating principle for the British state. It is simply this: no one who has served our country should be left to sleep on its streets.”
!Andy Burnham
Andy Burnham pledged ‘to end rough sleeping in our country’ in his first speech as Prime Minister outside No 10 Credit: the Press Association/ Gary Oakley
He went on to say that nearly all our councils had signed the Armed Forces Covenant, adding: “They care about our veterans and are already doing vital work with local charities to support them. Now we must go further and help councils turn that commitment into a roof over every head every night.
“Our veterans stood by us. We must stand by them. That means a commitment to a supported path away from the streets for everyone who needs one. From this Remembrance Sunday onwards, I want the whole country to honour that simple pledge.”
Andy Burnham
Our veterans stood by us. We must stand by them
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Mr Burnham’s letter, which will be sent next week, before Armistice Day, will say that all the arms of the state should agree on the principle that no one who has served our country should be left rough sleeping.
The pledge seeks to build on the success of Everyone In, a Covid-19 pandemic-era scheme in which thousands of rough sleepers were housed in hotels and temporary accommodation.
At the Budget, Chancellor John Healey pledged £432m of taxpayer money for rough sleepers, adding to the £442m promised in August and taking the issue’s total investment to £874m by the end of this Parliament.
Mr Burnham said: “Our veterans stood by us. We must stand by them. That means a commitment to a supported path away from the streets for everyone who needs one. From this Remembrance Sunday onwards, I want the whole country to honour that simple pledge.”
The Prime Minister will ask councils to use part of this funding to draw up a specific plan to tackle homelessness in the ex-forces community. Funding will also be handed to organisations that can offer assistance to veterans with complex needs, including health, addiction and employment services.
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Related Topics
Andy Burnham,
British Army,
Homelessness,
John Healey,
Remembrance Sunday,
Armistice Day
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