ALABARÉ Welcomes Prime Minister Restating Commitment to Reduce Rough Sleeping
We're pleased to see the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, reiterating his commitment to reducing rough sleeping during the Labour Party conference.
ALABARÉ is pleased to see the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, reiterating his commitment to reducing rough sleeping during the Labour Party conference.
The PM’s keynote speech this week (Tuesday 29 September) included a pledge that he ‘will not rest until we live in a Britain where everyone has a roof over their head, and no one is forced to sleep rough on our streets’.
This echoes his sentiments when he first came into office, when he said his ‘first instruction’ would be to tackle the issue of homelessness.
We are also welcoming the measures set out by Andy Burnham to ensure the UK’s social housing stock is increased, which will boost the availability of move-on accommodation for clients within our supported living bedspaces.
The Government’s plans for the ‘biggest council house building project’ since the post-war era are commendable, with a focus on building on unused public land and giving local authorities more power to take control of empty properties.
However, ALABARÉ is warning that the proposals can only come to fruition with a comprehensive funding plan and commitments in the upcoming Autumn Budget to make these goals a reality.
Laying Down a Positive Pathway for Rough Sleepers
Within his speech, the Prime Minister spoke about how ‘housing is an essential that everyone needs for a good life’.
That’s a statement that we, at ALABARÉ, completely agree with, while also recognising that to truly break the cycle of homelessness, there must be additional wraparound support offered to rough sleepers which takes their individual needs and complexities into account.
Over the last financial year (2025/26), we supported more than 2,500 people experiencing homelessness across the South West and Wales through services dedicated to single adults, young people, veterans, those with learning disabilities and people facing mental health challenges.
Support focuses on a person-centred, trauma-informed approach that sees the whole person and the bespoke factors that can affect a client’s journey towards independence.
New legislation, announced as part of the Social Housing Bill, sets out a ‘duty to collaborate’ between public services which could improve early intervention for people at risk of homelessness, creating a smoother pathway and preventing fewer housing crises.
Supporting Young People into Work
The Labour Party conference also included announcements from the Chancellor, John Healey MP, to improve access to employment for young people.
£100 million has been pledged to expand a Local Apprenticeships Service delivered by elected Mayors across England.
ALABARÉ has around 70 bedspaces for homeless 16- to 25-year-olds, which often includes those having left the care system and those with poor engagement in education and training.
We recently revealed that 40% of its young clients are currently enrolled in studies, including some apprenticeships.
Opportunities for young people to gain the skills needed for employability and a sustainable, independent future are warmly welcomed.
Andrew Lord, ALABARÉ Chief Executive, said:
“We were pleased by many of the commitments made by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet during the Labour Party Conference, and hope the positive words are followed by swift action. If the country is to achieve Andy Burnham’s ambition to get ‘Everybody In’ by Christmas, it will take a huge collective effort from not just the housing sector, but also from support services, healthcare, charities and more.
“When the government’s budget arrives in late October, we’d love to see definitive pledges made to fund the entire pathway of support required to keep everybody in for the long term. Some very important first steps are being promised, and we look forward to helping reach those aspirations and break the cycle of homelessness for good.”
LATEST NEWS
Here, you can find all the latest news stories from across our homeless charity dedicated to the needs of homeless adults, young people, veterans and those with learning disabilities.
