Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleDan HaygarthTuesday 21 July 2026 23:02 BSTAndy Burnham is Prime Minister. Now what?Andy Burnham, in his first speech as Prime Minister, pledged to end rough sleeping across the country, making it his government's "first instruction".His government announced £340 million in funding to acquire 1,200 homes and provide intensive support for at least 3,000 long-term rough sleepers over five years.This new funding is in addition to the previously announced £3.6 billion under the National Plan to End Homelessness, bringing the total to over £3.9 billion.As Greater Manchester Mayor, Burnham also vowed to tackle rough sleeping, with data showing a 26% reduction since 2017, though numbers have risen sharply since 2021.Critics, including the Conservatives, questioned the funding's source and delivery plan.In fullWhat Burnham’s record on rough sleeping reveals about his first pledge as PMMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in