Burnham vows to tackle veteran homelessness

Burnham said that no one who served in the UK armed forces should be left to sleep on the streets this Christmas. In a proposed letter to councils across England, Burnham will suggest that national and local governments work together to help ex-servicemen who face homelessness during Christmas. The plans aim to provide specialist support to get veterans off the streets and offered shelter, by taking inspiration from a Covid-era scheme that helped 37,000 people with emergency housing.

The letter will highlight the duties councils have under the Armed Forces Covenant, which mentions that special consideration can be given to veterans, especially those who were injured in service. Read more: 'We fought for the country, will this country fight for us?': Homeless veterans camping on Salisbury Plain ahead of Remembrance Sunday Read more: 'I may be broken, but I’m not useless': Britain must do better by its veterans Since coming into office, Burnham has confirmed an additional £874m investment specifically aimed at tackling rough sleeping, part of a broader £4.4bn commitment over three years to address homelessness across the UK.

The pledge aims to follow the success of Everyone In, the Covid-19 plan that turned lives around for thousands of rough sleepers who were placed in hotels and temporary accommodation. As part of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme, eight organisations across the UK, including in Scotland, will be given a share of the £874m to fund the work. Burnham mentioned that both governments should work under the "simple principle" that "no one who has served our country should ever be left to sleep rough on our streets".

The most recent official figures show a record high of an estimated 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025 in England. The government has pledged £4.4bn in total to end rough sleeping.