UK's Burnham doubles homelessness funds, opens EU free movement debate

· Politics · United Kingdom

Andy Burnham is to double spending on ending rough sleeping to almost £900m by the end of the current parliament, with Downing Street allocating a further £432m in this week's budget, alongside £1bn for social and affordable housing. Burnham, who has also said he is open to discussing EU free movement, was backed by senior cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner and Ed Miliband, while some "red wall" Labour MPs warned it could jeopardise Brexit-voting seats. Official data showed long-term net migration in 2025 fell close to pre-2021 levels. Separately, Chancellor John Healey is finalising his first budget amid secrecy measures and debate over how to raise money without hiking income tax.

Why it matters：The budget choices and the reopening of a free-movement debate signal a possible shift in Britain's post-Brexit economic and immigration policy.

Key points

  • A further £432m in this week's budget takes rough-sleeping funding to almost £900m.
  • Burnham's free-movement remarks were backed by ministers but worried some red-wall MPs.
  • The budget also includes £1bn for social and affordable housing.

Sources (original reporting)

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