Seoul Gazette - UK PM launches bid to help homeless, donating part of his wages

"No one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station," Burnham said in a statement announcing the new plans.

It comes a month after Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as prime minister, and builds on his promise on his first day in office to end rough sleeping.

His government is now setting out the next steps to achieve that aim, with emergency accommodation and long-term housing support to be put in place across England this winter.

Under the programme, areas facing the highest levels of homelessness and housing pressure will receive the largest share of a boosted £442 million ($666 million) in funding.

And Burnham told the Big Issue magazine, which works to fight poverty, that he would donate 15 percent of his salary to homelessness causes.

The publication says the PM is paid about £180,000 a year.

"I wouldn't want to ask anybody to do anything that I'm not prepared to do. I want to lead from the front," he told the magazine.

"This issue matters massively to me. I don't want to live in a country where walking past people sleeping rough just becomes commonplace."

The number of rough sleepers in England reached a record 4,793 in 2025, according to government figures.

Rough sleepers -- those sleeping outdoors -- are a minority of England's total homeless, estimated at 382,000 in 2025 by leading charity Shelter.

This larger figure includes those who manage to stay off the streets but lack a permanent residence or security of tenure, and includes families and children.

The figures show little sign of budging, with the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank warning earlier this year that the numbers could increase by 25 percent by 2030.

Burnham cited efforts to move rough sleepers into temporary accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying in his statement that "we can do it again".

He also vowed to end rough sleeping during his almost-decade long stint as mayor of the northern city of Manchester, but ultimately failed despite some initial success.

- Helping 'thousands' -

He pledged on Monday that the government would convene the first national summit dedicated to tackling rough sleeping later in the year.

Burnham also stressed it will be up to local leaders including mayors to drive the action before Christmas.

He said during a visit to a homeless charity in northern Newcastle that the programme would be funded from the existing housing ministry budget.

But he acknowledged: "The government money may not fully get us there."

"I'm saying to wider society, faith organisations, let's see if we can do this together. Let's see if Britain can do this."

The government said the funding package would not only provide immediate accommodation, but also support the creation of more than 1,000 permanent homes over the next three years.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said the government was moving "urgently" following Burnham's pledge.

"This funding will help thousands of people leave the streets behind, move into secure homes and get the support they need to rebuild their lives," she said.

Charities broadly welcomed the announcement, but there was scepticism from other political parties.

"And as with many of his other commitments, there is very little detail on how this one will be paid for," he added.

E.Yeon--SG