Andy Burnham made a surprise first announcement as prime minister: a pledge to end rough sleeping. The Today in Focus podcast, hosted by Helen Pidd, heads to Greater Manchester – where Burnham was mayor for nine years – to visit one of the many homelessness projects in the area.
Embassy Village: A new start for rough sleepers
Helen hears from previous rough sleepers on the day they first move into Embassy Village and catches up with them a few months later to see how they are getting on. The village provides a supportive community for people transitioning from homelessness.
Assessing Burnham's record as mayor
Meanwhile, social affairs correspondent Jessica Murray explores how successful Burnham was at eliminating rough sleeping when mayor, and whether his housing first policies could be scaled up across the country. The housing first approach prioritizes providing stable accommodation without preconditions, such as sobriety or employment.
