Nigel Farage has been accused of stoking fear over his claim that the government’s plan to help rough sleepers will “attract more migrants”.

On Wednesday, Andy Burnham committed another £102 million in funding to provide homeless people with emergency accommodation this winter, stating that he wants “to get everyone in for Christmas”.

This builds on Burnham’s first pledge as prime minister. In his first speech as prime minister, he said he would end rough sleeping for good and committed £340 million towards making good on that pledge.

Yet, Farage doesn’t seem to support this commitment. In a Telegraph story published on Wednesday night, the Reform leader said that helping homeless people would ‘advertise’ to migrants that you get “everything for free if you come by boat”.

Reform uses populist rhetoric about putting “British people first”. Yet, Farage has criticised this policy to help homeless people, and his party has said it would cut benefits for disabled people if it wins power.

The article also argues that a report published by the Centre for Social Justice, the right-wing think tank co-founded by Iain Duncan Smith, revealed that half of rough sleepers on London’s streets in 2025-26 were migrants.

However, the figures lack important context. Migrants with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) are unable to access state benefits, statutory homelessness assistance, or council housing, which can leave them with no choice but to sleep on the streets.

Rather than demonstrating that providing emergency accommodation “attracts” migrants, it shows what happens when they have no safety net. 

Reacting to Farage’s comments, Jenni Regan, CEO of charity IMIX, which works to improve how migration is covered in the media, said: “This is a familiar move, taking two separate issues and welding them together to stoke fear, and it does nothing to help a single person sleeping rough this winter. 

Regan added: “The claim doesn’t stand up: people going through the asylum system are housed by the Home Office, not by councils, and have no recourse to public funds, so they cannot access council housing or statutory homelessness support. 

“People do not sleep rough, or cross the Channel, because of a housing announcement, they do it out of desperation. Everyone, including those genuinely worried about housing pressures, is better served by a debate grounded in facts than one driven by fear.”

In summary, it is misleading to claim that emergency housing “attracts” asylum seekers when they are unable to access it. Instead, migrants can be at greater risk of rough sleeping because they cannot access benefits or statutory homelessness assistance.

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward

The post Debunking Nigel Farage’s claims in the Telegraph that helping homeless people will ‘attract more migrants’ appeared first on Left Foot Forward: Leading the UK's progressive debate.

Homelessness charities have widely welcomed prime minister Andy Burnham’s announcement that he will give all rough sleepers “a route off the streets” by Christmas.

Burnham has announced an additional £102 million in funding, adding to the £340 million he committed in July.

This will deliver a total of £442 million in additional funding to provide homeless people with emergency accommodation and help them access healthcare and other support services.

The approach draws on the strategy used during the ‘Everyone In’ scheme in the covid-19 pandemic.

When he made his first speech as prime minister a month ago, Burnham said his “first instruction” on entering No 10 would be to end rough sleeping.

The prime minister has also said he will host a “first of its kind” national summit in the Autumn.

The event will bring together leaders from different sectors to ask what role they can play in helping to end rough sleeping. 

Reacting to Burnham’s announcement, Matt Downie, Chief Executive of Crisis, said that today’s announcement “puts us on the path to an historic milestone: the end of rough sleeping in England”. 

“Being forced to sleep rough puts people at increased risk of serious illness, violence, and abuse. The average age of death for people experiencing homelessness is 45 for men and 43 for women. So getting people off the streets and onto the path to a settled, secure home will save lives. 

“In the long-term, rough sleeping can only be solved with the provision of safe, affordable homes, so we really welcome the funding to provide more settled homes.

“Where access to a home isn’t possible straight away, providing good quality accommodation with a clear plan to support people into settled housing is a vital first step.”

Dr Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “Today’s announcement marks a pivotal moment: an acknowledgement from the highest level of political leadership that rough sleeping should not exist, and a decisive step forward to end it once and for all. 

“Housing is key, but housing alone will not be enough. A roof over somebody’s head provides immediate safety, but lasting recovery requires intensive, person-centred, joined-up support. That today’s announcement provides both a commitment to get people off the streets quickly, as well as the tailored support needed to help them stay off them for good, is exactly the right approach. 

Haddad added: “Burnham’s greatest challenge will be sustaining this ambition and galvanising action across government, local government and wider society to address the root causes of homelessness.”

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward

The post Andy Burnham’s new homelessness plan welcomed as ‘decisive step forward’ for ending rough sleeping appeared first on Left Foot Forward: Leading the UK's progressive debate.