'It was hard to adjust after sleeping rough'

A man who slept rough in Manchester for a year has said it was hard to adjust to sleeping in his own room after finally finding accommodation, as Andy Burnham unveiled a plan to get rough sleepers off the streets this winter.

Ben (not his real name) said homeless people would need a lot of support if the prime minister's vision "to get everyone in for Christmas" was to succeed.

"I've heard of people who did not sleep in a bed for months even when they got their own place and I can see why," he said.

"The real work begins when they leave the street."

Burnham's plan will see emergency accommodation provided for all rough sleepers this winter to end the need for rough sleeping, alongside practical support for any health needs, as part of a £442m package.

Ben said he ended up living on the streets after a mental breakdown following the loss of three family members in a short period of time.

He found himself living rough in Manchester's Northern Quarter, sleeping near heat pumps on the outside of buildings to keep warm in winter.

"On some days I used to scavenge supermarket waste bins for food that had been thrown out because it was past its sell by date," he added.

"I tried to keep a low profile to avoid violence, although people urinated on me."

Ben was helped by the Christian homeless charity Barnabus, where he now works as a volunteer.

The former barber has returned to his old trade, giving free haircuts to homeless people.

Ben said Burnham's national plan "needs to work", to help people in difficult circumstances.

The prime minister's pledge seeks to build on the success of Everyone In, a Covid pandemic-era scheme that saw thousands of rough sleepers housed in hotels and temporary accommodation.

Burnham made a similar promise when he became mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017.

He promised to end rough sleeping in three years. Despite his failure to do this housing charities in the city region have given a guarded welcome to his nationwide pledge.

Burnham's "A Bed Every Night" service in Greater Manchester appeared successful at first, with figures falling from 268 people sleeping on the street in 2017, to 90 in 2021 - but it climbed again post Covid pandemic and also during the cost-of-living crisis.

In 2025, Greater Manchester recorded 197 people rough sleeping - this year's snapshot figure will be recorded in November.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, was challenged about the recent year-on-year increase in rough sleeping in Greater Manchester.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the lack of a national scheme meant "everybody knew that Greater Manchester was the place where you got the support".

Jamie Lilley from Manchester-based homeless charity, Cold Hands Warm Hearts. told BBC Radio Manchester: "[A Bed Every Night] was well-intentioned then but it wasn't something that was going to be manageable."

He added: "Don't get me wrong [Burnham] has the potential to do something great but there is a lot more to ending rough sleeping than offering a shelter."

Lilley said the charity dealt with people daily who had mental health issues and addiction issues, warning: "There has to be support around these issues. Then you have sky-high private rents, the social housing shortage and the cost-of-living crisis to deal with.

"[As mayor] Burnham said it was difficult to achieve what he wanted as he didn't have the power - now he is PM it is time to put words into action."

Conservative shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly said Burnham had failed to end rough sleeping in Greater Manchester "because he didn't do the hard work necessary".

But Amanda Croome, head of homelessness at Caritas, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford charity, said: "I have been involved with homelessness for more than 365 years - I feel really hopeful because we have a prime minister who has been able to make a real impact."

She said she felt the scheme would be welcomed by rough sleepers across the country.

"Nobody chooses to sleep on the street - if people are given the right support they will come off the street," she added.

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