Luton North MP Sarah Owen has welcomed a government commitment to offer everyone sleeping rough in the town a route off the streets before Christmas, insisting the initiative must lead to lasting support rather than a temporary solution.
The government has pledged additional funding to help people move into accommodation and access the support they need, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham pursues his ambition to end rough sleeping.
Ms Owen said rough sleeping was one of the issues most frequently raised with her by residents and schoolchildren in Luton, and argued that the Christmas deadline should be seen as the beginning of a longer-term effort to tackle homelessness.
Writing online, the MP said: “Everyone sleeping rough across Luton and the UK will be offered a bed across the Christmas period.
“It is one of the top issues that people and school children in Luton North raise with me.
“It was the Prime Minister’s first pledge in office – to eradicate rough sleeping in the UK. Now, the government is guaranteeing an offer of a bed for anyone sleeping rough across the country, giving everybody a route off the street and a road to recovery.”
Ms Owen stressed that the commitment should not be viewed simply as a winter measure.
“Please don’t think this is just about Christmas (that’s just the timeline put in),” she said, adding: “It’s an offer of a route out of homelessness and recovery for people who need it.”
The government initially announced £442million for its Rough Sleeping Programme in August, combining emergency accommodation and support before Christmas with longer-term housing and intensive help for people who have experienced prolonged periods of rough sleeping.
On 25 October, Burnham announced a further £432million, taking the total funding behind his commitment to £874 million. The additional investment is intended to sustain support beyond this winter and through to the end of the current Parliament.
The programme will be delivered by local authorities working with charities, housing providers and other local organisations. Support could include accommodation, help with health needs and assistance moving into a settled home.
Ms Owen also drew comparisons with the response to rough sleeping during the Covid pandemic, arguing that the opportunity to help people move away from homelessness should not be limited to the festive period.
She said: “Speaking with a lot of homeless charities – the last government could and should have utilised the time people were off the streets during Covid for targeted interventions and support. The same can be said for Christmas.”
Luton Council has previously reported progress in tackling rough sleeping. In a statement earlier this year, it said the latest government figures showed the number of people sleeping rough on a typical night in Luton had fallen by 56 per cent compared with 2024.
The council attributed the progress to its specialist Rough Sleeping Team and work with local organisations including Keystage Housing and NOAH Enterprise, alongside additional accommodation and support for people experiencing mental health challenges and substance misuse.
However, the council also acknowledged that more remained to be done to address homelessness and help people achieve long-term stability.
The government says its latest programme is intended to build on immediate accommodation offers by providing settled homes and ongoing support for people facing the greatest barriers to leaving the streets permanently.
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