Angela Rayner has told of the “heartbreaking” sight of so many people living on the streets of London.
The Communities Secretary spoke of the “challenge” to help thousands of rough sleepers in the capital and other parts of the country.
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“It’s heartbreaking,” Ms Rayner told the London Standard.
“Not only is it heartbreaking when I walk into Parliament or when I see people on the streets there in my own constituency in Greater Manchester. You know, you see this in cities and in areas around England.
“That it is a challenge, and we want to make sure that the members of the public can play their part in supporting the charities and the voluntary sector we’re working with, while supporting local authorities to deliver these routes off the street, so that we can all play our part and know that there is an option and that we can help and support people with the right care and the support to end rough sleeping.”
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“No, it can’t be done without tackling the housing crisis in the city,” she said.
“So we are ramping up house building in the capital.
“We’ve made changes to the building safety regulation function so that we can get these houses built and the Government gave 30% of the social and affordable homes programme money that we announced only a couple of weeks ago to London because we not only recognize the acute challenge and needs of London, but also recognize the success of the Mayor of London working with the local authorities to bring those housing stats up by nearly 300%.”
Andy Burnham on Monday called on business chiefs and charities to step up efforts to tackle rough sleeping with the Budget set to deliver a £432 million boost to help ensure homeless people are off the streets by Christmas.
The Prime Minister hosted a rough sleeping summit in Downing Street before Chancellor John Healey confirms the extra money in his statement to MPs on Wednesday.
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The most up-to-date, annual, national statistics estimated there were 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025 in England.
The funding at the Budget comes on top of £442 million committed earlier this year and will allow the rough sleeping programme to continue until the end of the current parliament in 2029.
But Mr Burnham has faced criticism from the Conservatives over his record as mayor of Greater Manchester on the issue.
Shadow housing secretary Katie Lam said: “Burnham is throwing another £432 million at a problem he failed to solve in Greater Manchester.
“Under Labour, rough sleeping has hit record highs – yet their answer is always more taxpayers’ money and more empty promises.”
‘Heartbreaking’: Angela Rayner Speaks Out Over the Number of People Sleeping Rough on London’s Streets
Angela Rayner has described the sight of so many people sleeping rough on the streets of London as “heartbreaking”, as the government faces mounting pressure to tackle homelessness before winter conditions become even more dangerous.
The Communities Secretary said the problem was visible not only in the capital but also in towns and cities across England. For many people, homelessness has become an increasingly visible reminder of the difficulties facing those struggling to afford somewhere safe to live.
Rayner admitted that helping people leave the streets would be a major challenge. However, she insisted that the government wanted to work with charities, local authorities and members of the public to ensure that people experiencing homelessness could access appropriate accommodation and support.
Her comments came as Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a major increase in funding intended to help rough sleepers find a route off the streets before Christmas.
The government has committed an additional £432 million to its Rough Sleeping Programme, on top of £442 million announced earlier in the year. The new money is intended to extend support beyond the coming winter and help prevent people from returning to the streets.
Together, the two commitments amount to £874 million for the programme over the period covered by the announcements. The government has also said that total investment in homelessness and rough sleeping services will exceed £4.4 billion over the next three years. <Cite refs={[“turn510649search0″,”turn510649search1”]} />
‘It’s Heartbreaking’: Rayner Describes the Reality of Homelessness
Speaking to the London Standard, Rayner said the number of people living on the streets was deeply distressing.
She explained that seeing rough sleepers on the way to Parliament, or encountering people experiencing homelessness in her own constituency in Greater Manchester, brought home the scale of the problem.
Her comments highlighted a reality familiar to people in many urban areas: individuals sleeping in doorways, beneath shopfronts, near transport stations and in other exposed public spaces.
For those walking past, these scenes can become part of the everyday landscape. For the people sleeping outside, however, each night can bring uncertainty, discomfort and serious risks to their health and safety.
Cold and wet weather can make the situation especially dangerous. People without suitable shelter may struggle to keep warm, remain dry or find somewhere secure to rest.
Rayner said members of the public could help by supporting charities and voluntary organisations, while councils and government agencies needed to provide practical routes away from life on the streets.
The challenge, she suggested, was not simply to recognise homelessness but to ensure that people could access the right care and support to leave it behind.
London’s Housing Crisis Adds to the Pressure
Rayner acknowledged that rough sleeping in London could not be addressed fully without tackling the capital’s wider housing crisis.
London is an expensive place to live, and people on low incomes can face significant barriers when trying to secure accommodation. Losing a job, experiencing a relationship breakdown, facing a rent increase or leaving an institution without suitable housing can all place someone at risk.
Once a person becomes homeless, finding a permanent home can be difficult without assistance. Deposits, rent in advance, limited affordable accommodation and complicated eligibility requirements may prevent people from securing somewhere to live.
The problem also affects people who are employed. Having a job does not necessarily guarantee that someone can afford housing in an area where rents are high and suitable properties are difficult to find.
Rayner said the government was seeking to accelerate housebuilding and had directed a significant share of its social and affordable housing programme funding towards London.
Increasing the supply of genuinely affordable homes could help reduce pressure on households and give people leaving homelessness a better chance of establishing stable lives.
However, building new homes takes time. People sleeping outside this winter cannot wait years for additional housing to become available.
That is why emergency accommodation, outreach services and longer-term housing solutions need to operate together.
Government Announces an Extra £432 Million
Burnham has made tackling rough sleeping one of the central priorities of his government.
His administration previously announced £442 million for a programme intended to help people leave the streets. The additional £432 million announced ahead of the Budget is designed to extend that effort into the following financial years.
The government says its immediate ambition is to ensure that every person sleeping rough in England is offered a route off the streets by Christmas.
The wording matters. Offering someone help is not the same as guaranteeing that they will immediately move into a permanent home.
Some people may need emergency accommodation first. Others may require mental health support, help with substance-use problems, assistance obtaining identification or benefits, or specialist services to address experiences of abuse and trauma.
Some rough sleepers may initially refuse an offer of accommodation because of previous negative experiences, concerns about safety or conditions attached to particular services. Building trust and finding an appropriate solution can take time.
The government has said that the funding will support local authorities and organisations working to provide accommodation and intensive assistance, while helping prevent people from returning to the streets. <Cite refs={[“turn510649search1″,”turn510649search10”]} />
Charities Say Support Must Continue Beyond Christmas
Homelessness charities have broadly welcomed additional funding while emphasising that lasting progress requires more than a short-term emergency response.
Crisis has argued that people need sustainable routes out of homelessness, with the right support to rebuild their lives. St Mungo’s has also highlighted the importance of long-term assistance.
For organisations working directly with rough sleepers, the difference between temporary relief and lasting change can be substantial.
A bed for one night may protect someone from dangerous weather, but it does not necessarily resolve the reasons they became homeless. Without follow-up support and a realistic housing option, they may find themselves back outside once temporary accommodation ends.
Support can include help with healthcare, access to benefits, employment advice, family relationships and independent living. For some individuals, specialist mental health services or ongoing assistance with addiction will also be important.
Charities have warned that the people who have spent the longest periods sleeping rough can face particularly complex challenges.
A successful programme therefore needs to measure more than the number of beds made available or the number of people contacted by outreach teams. It must also consider whether people remain safely housed over time.
The additional funding could help expand services, but the results will depend on how quickly local authorities can put suitable accommodation and support in place.
Political Questions Over Delivery
Although the government has presented the funding increase as a significant step, the policy is likely to face close scrutiny.
Opposition politicians have questioned whether Burnham can deliver his ambitious promises, pointing to his previous record on homelessness as mayor of Greater Manchester.
Conservative critics have argued that additional spending will not solve the problem unless the government demonstrates how the money will be used and why previous efforts have not prevented rough sleeping from rising.
These criticisms raise important questions about implementation, accountability and the availability of housing.
However, the existence of political disagreement does not change the immediate circumstances of people sleeping outdoors. They need practical assistance regardless of which party is in government.
The government will need to show that funding reaches frontline services, that councils have sufficient accommodation and that support is available in areas where demand is particularly high.
It will also need to explain how success will be measured. If people receive offers of help but remain homeless because suitable accommodation is unavailable, the programme’s central objective will remain unmet.
Why Prevention Is Just as Important
One of the most effective ways to reduce rough sleeping is to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.
That requires identifying people at risk before they lose their accommodation and providing assistance when problems first emerge.
Help with rent arrears, mediation with landlords, access to benefits and advice during a family crisis can sometimes prevent someone from ending up on the streets.
Local councils, housing associations, charities, hospitals and other public services all have a potential role in identifying people who need support.
Preventing homelessness can also reduce pressure on emergency services and local authority budgets. Once someone has been sleeping rough for a prolonged period, their needs may become more complex and expensive to address.
Affordable housing remains central to this approach. Without enough suitable homes, even well-funded support services may struggle to find permanent solutions for the people they help.
Rayner’s acknowledgement that London’s housing crisis must be addressed therefore points to a wider challenge extending beyond emergency accommodation.
The Human Cost Behind the Statistics
The figures surrounding rough sleeping can sometimes make homelessness appear like an abstract policy problem. Rayner’s remarks bring attention back to the individuals behind those numbers.
Every person sleeping outside has their own circumstances. Some have lost employment or housing, while others have experienced family breakdown, violence, illness or difficulties accessing support.
There is no single explanation for every case, and there is no single intervention that will work for everyone.
What matters is that people are treated with dignity and offered assistance suited to their circumstances.
For someone sleeping outdoors, a safe place to stay can be the first step towards recovering stability. For others, the process may require a longer period of engagement before they are ready or able to move into accommodation.
The government’s Christmas target has created urgency, but charities have stressed that progress must continue after the festive period. Homelessness does not disappear when winter ends, and people need support throughout the year.
A Test of the Government’s Promise
Rayner’s description of rough sleeping as heartbreaking reflects the emotional reality of a problem that has resisted repeated political promises.
The additional £432 million represents a substantial financial commitment, but funding alone cannot guarantee that every rough sleeper will find a lasting route into housing.
The government must work with councils, charities, housing providers and local communities to ensure that suitable accommodation is available and that people receive the support needed to remain there.
London’s housing pressures make the task especially difficult, while the wider national challenge requires coordinated action across England.
Burnham has promised that everyone sleeping rough will be offered a route off the streets before Christmas. The coming months will reveal how far that ambition can be translated into practical results.
For Rayner, the message is clear: homelessness should not be accepted as an unavoidable feature of modern Britain.
The real test will be whether people who are currently sleeping in doorways and on pavements can move into safe accommodation, receive the support they need and build more secure futures long after the winter headlines have faded.