'No one who has served should sleep rough': councils asked to house every homeless veteran by Christmas

No one who has served in the armed forces should be left to sleep rough, the Prime Minister has said, as he set out a new commitment to get every homeless veteran off the streets before Christmas. On Remembrance Sunday weekend, Andy Burnham said he would write personally to every council in England asking them to draw up a specific plan to offer accommodation to any veteran sleeping rough.

He also urged any veterans who are sleeping rough, or anyone supporting them, to call the UK-wide helpline on 0800 952 0774 for immediate help.

"A bed every night"

"No one who has served our country should be left to sleep rough on our streets," Mr Burnham said. "It is a simple principle and, from now on, I am setting it as an operating principle for the whole of government, national and local."

"People who stepped forward prepared to put their lives on the line for the rest of us should never lack a roof over their head. When they need help, the country owes them more than warm words. It owes them a bed every night, a proper plan and someone in their corner from day one."

He added: "Many councils are already doing a great job working with charities supporting the ex-forces community. With this new funding, they can take that to the next level and end the need for any veteran to sleep rough on any night."

The money behind it

The pledge is part of the Prime Minister's wider aim to end rough sleeping, backed by an additional £874m that takes total funding to a record £4.4bn. Councils are being asked to use part of that money for a specific plan to tackle homelessness among former service personnel, working with local organisations and charities.

Alongside it, £8.7m is being given to eight organisations across the UK through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme, to help housing providers support veterans with complex needs, including health, addiction and employment support. They include SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, The Riverside Group, Launchpad, Alabare, Veteran Housing Scotland, RBVE, Tom Harrison House and Wigan Council.

The helpline has already helped more than 1,250 veterans into housing.

A digital Veteran Card

The government is also encouraging veterans to make use of the digital Veteran Card, which has now been downloaded more than 23,000 times since it launched in October 2025. Kept on a phone through the GOV.UK One Login app, it lets veterans prove their service when registering with a GP or seeking specialist health support, and can be used for discounts at participating shops, restaurants and attractions.

Veterans must first apply for the physical card; once it has been processed and dispatched, they can download the digital version. The Veterans Minister, Calvin Bailey, who served in the RAF, said: "I'd encourage all my fellow veterans to sign up for their Veteran Card - either physical or digital - this remembrance time."

Help in Birmingham

Anyone in Birmingham who is worried about a veteran sleeping rough can call the helpline on 0800 952 0774, which connects people directly with housing and specialist support. On a day when the city gathers on Colmore Row to remember those who served, it is a practical way to help those who came home.