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Britain’s rural child homelessness crisis is worsening, but nobody is talking about it- why? In this week’s newsletter, I’ll share exclusive data from the County Councils Network (CCN), which fears it’s because of a focus on major cities with regional mayors.
Coming up in this week’s newsletter:
Inside Britain’s shocking and overlooked rural child homelessness crisis.
Today, the Government announced £10bn to build social and affordable housing. Read my exclusive interview with Housing Secretary Angela Rayner here. And keep reading this newsletter to the end to find out why some people think Andy Burnham has “backed down” on his desire to build council housing – and why I think that’s a somewhat oversimplified take.
Your need-to-know on Reform UK’s latest social housing policy.
Shorts
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The most expensive moving day of the year is this week
August 28 could be four times busier than a normal moving day and as a result, much more expensive.
Caption: A female couple enjoying a break from moving house
Photographer: Dougal Waters
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
High demand raises prices
Research by the HomeOwners Alliance estimated that nearly 23,000 households will be moving this Friday, with the surging demand pushing up prices.
Analysis by Moving Compared and AnyVan also pointed to Fridays at the end of the month, weekends and the month of August being the most expensive times to move.
Save Britain’s Rivers
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Analysis
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When is it cheaper to move?
Tuesday and Wednesday were generally the cheapest days to move, according to Moving Compared. The research found that costs could rise by as much as £500, depending on when you decide to move.
Photographer: Maskot
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
Copyright: Copyright Maskot
Moving Compared also warned that whilst Fridays are convenient, they are the “least forgiving day” because there is no working day afterwards to resolve problems.
television
Kit Harington joins HBO’s Harry Potter – who else is in the cast?
Caption: Kit Harington at Disney 2026 Upfront Red Carpet held at North Javits Center on May 12, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images)
Photographer: Kristina Bumphrey
Provider: Variety via Getty Images
Source: Variety
Copyright: photographickris_2026
Kit Harington is joining the HBO Harry Potter TV series as famous author turned Hogwarts professor Gilderoy Lockhart.
He is replacing Nicholas Hoult, who left due to scheduling issues, according to HBO. Here is everyone else currently cast in the show.
The big names we know so far
Caption: NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 07: John Lithgow, the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play award for Giant, attends The 79th Annual Tony Awards Media Room at 3 West Club on June 07, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
Photographer: Mike Coppola
Provider: Getty Images for Tony Awards Pro
Source: Getty Images North America
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
John Lithgow
The veteran actor, with his collection of Emmys and Oscars, will take the role of Dumbledore.
Nick Frost
Frost will don the shaggy beard of Hogwarts groundskeeper Hagrid.
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 10: Nick Frost attends the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises at The Royal Festival Hall on May 10, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)
Photographer: Tristan Fewings/BAFTA
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Source: BAFTA
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 22: Warwick Davis attends the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on February 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Photographer: Samir Hussein
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Source: WireImage
Copyright: 2026 Samir Hussein
Warwick Davis
A returning cast member, Davis will continue his original role as master of charms Professor Filius Flitwick.
A closer look at the detail
Cast members have faced some backlash for their decision to join the show, from those who are opposed to J K Rowling’s views on gender identity and trans rights.
Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout, who will portray Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in the HBO series ‘Harry Potter’ (Photo: Aidan Monaghan/HBO via AP)
Caption: Undated handout photo issued by HBO Max of Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter in the new HBO Max Harry Potter series. Issue date: Wednesday March 25, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Aidan Monaghan/HBO Max/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Aidan Monaghan/HBO Max
Provider: Aidan Monaghan/HBO Max/PA Wire
Source: PA
The HBO series is expected to take 10 years to complete, as producers plan multiple seasons covering each of Rowling’s seven books, which the eight blockbuster films were originally based on.
The other names to watch
Harry Potter – Dominic Mclaughlin
Hermione Granger – Arabella Stanton
Ron Weasley – Alastair Stout
Garrick Ollivander – Anton Lesser
Neville Longbottom – Rory Wilmot
Madam Hooch – Louise Brealey
Professor McGonagall – Janet McTeer
Professor Snape – Paapa Essiedu
Draco Malfoy – Lox Pratt
The other names to watch
Lucius Malfoy – Johnny Flynn
Petunia Dursley – Bel Powley
Vernon Dursley – Daniel Rigby
Dudley Dursley – Amos Kitson
Molly Weasley – Katherine Parkinson
Cornelius Fudge – Bertie Carvel
Professor Quirrell – Luke Thallon
Filch – Paul Whitehouse
go deeper on this topic
The Harry Potter
cast have cursed themselves for ever
A part in HBO’s Harry Potter is an irresistible opportunity for an actor, but I do wonder if any of the cast are regretting their decision to get involved. Any association with Rowling is a drink from a poisoned chalice – a curse that will never lift. Is it worth it?
Caption: Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham peaks during a TV interview at The Hub cafe following a visit to the town centre of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, central England on August 11, 2026. (Photo by Toby Shepheard / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: TOBY SHEPHEARD
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Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or Licensors
politics
The seven taxes Burnham could raise to fund his spending spree
Andy Burnham has declined to rule out raising taxes in his autumn Budget, saying he would not be “unrealistic” about the state of the public finances and vowed to take a “careful approach”.
Raising income tax, national insurance or VAT
These are the biggest revenue raising levers at Chancellor John Healey’s disposal, making up 54 per cent of the tax base. But Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto committed not to raise any of these.
Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey arrives in Downing Street to attend the first Cabinet meeting hosted by Andy Burnham earlier this month (Photo: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Burnham also pledged to do the same, so going back on his word would be extremely damaging for a Prime Minister who has made much about restoring trust.
Equalising Capital Gains Tax
This is one of the more likely options and currently sits at 18 per cent for basic-rate income taxpayers and 24 per cent for higher and additional-rate taxpayers.
Raising the tax is popular in the Labour Party; however, predictions on how much it would raise range from £14bn to actually costing the Treasury money if people delayed asset sales or moved overseas.
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Wealth tax
Lineker has called out the BBC’s remote coverage (Photo: Getty)
Burnham has faced calls for this from the left and last month Gary Lineker was among 120 so-called “Patriotic Millionaires” who signed a letter backing paying more tax in the form of a 2 per cent levy on wealth over £10m.
Some economists claim that it could raise £10bn a year and only affect the 1,000 most affluent households, but sceptics have said it could lead to wealthy individuals ceasing to be UK tax residents or “gaming” the valuation of their assets.
Pension tax changes
The Government could cut the size of the tax-free lump sum people can take from their pensions, which is either 25 per cent of the amount or £268,275 – whichever is lower.
Another option would be to limit pension tax relief. However, this would be a bold and risky step, with Sir Keir Starmer previously facing a hugely damaging backlash after cutting winter fuel payments.
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Sin taxes
Burnham could target business sectors or activities which he thinks are “anti-social” or damaging for people – with him already focusing on reducing reliefs for vape shops and betting establishments.
Caption: LONDON – NOVEMBER 10: A general view of a Vape Shop selling vaping products on November 10, 2025 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)
Photographer: John Keeble
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2025 John Keeble
Caption: A person smokes a cigarette in Krakow, Poland on January 30, 2026. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Photographer: NurPhoto
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Source: NurPhoto
Copyright: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto
Healey could also raise taxes on cigarettes, vapes, unhealthy food and alcohol. These tax raises often incur little political cost but tend to raise trivial sums.
Burnham with President Volodymyr Zelensky during Ukraine’s independence day celebrations in Kyiv on Monday (Photo: Reuters/Gleb Garanich)
politics
The four signs the UK’s stance towards Russia is escalating
Andy Burnham has faced down threats from the Kremlin over Britain’s increasing support for Ukraine by telling Vladimir Putin he “started the fire”.
Burnham says he won’t back down
The war of words broke out after Moscow warned that the UK sharing long-range missile blueprints with Kyiv would “add fuel to the fire” of the conflict.
During a visit to Kyiv on Monday, to mark the anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union, Burnham insisted there would be no backing down from assistance to Kyiv.
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Tougher rhetoric from Burnham
While Sir Keir Starmer was a steadfast supporter of Ukraine, Burnham’s comments will be seen as more outspoken. They come as the perceived threat from Moscow has increased in the last few months.
Caption: A Ukrspecsystems PD-2 UAS drone is pictured at the company’s UK factory near Cambridge, eastern England on March 5, 2026. In an inconspicuous building near the UK’s Mildenhall air base, drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems is opening its new production line, like other Ukrainian arms companies looking to secure their supply chain and boost capacity. Ukrainian drone manufacturers have in recent months announced a slew of plans to open sites in Europe, including in Germany, Denmark and now the UK. (Photo by Chris Radburn / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: CHRIS RADBURN
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Caption: Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaks at the Grange Interlink community centre to announce a new crackdown on illegal waste dumping and action to clear up communities, in Bradford, Britain, August 20, 2026. Scott Heppell/Pool via REUTERS
Photographer: Scott Heppell
Provider: via REUTERS
Source: Pool
With UK-made drones being used against Russia by Ukraine, Tobias Ellwood, a former defence minister, said Britain “should brace [itself] for grey zone retaliation. And for this we are woefully unprepared”.
Increased assistance
Britain has been contributing to Kyiv’s war effort since the start of the Russian invasion, but the revelation that UK-made drones were being used to strike Russia, as well as that Britain has shared blueprints for long-range missiles, reach a new scale of significance.
Caption: Soldiers from the 141st Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Land Forces, armed with rifles, walk along a road on the front line, March 19, 2026. (Photo by Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform) (Photo credit should read Dmytro Smolienko/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Photographer: Future Publishing
Provider: Future Publishing via Getty Imag
Source: Future Publishing
Downing Street would not say whether this was a Starmer or Burnham policy, but a No 10 spokeswoman said the UK would continue to help arm Ukraine.
New battlefield data partnership
Caption: Screen of a laptop with code, highlighting the work of programming and technological development
Photographer: Stefano Madrigali
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF
Copyright: Stefano Madrigali Photography
The latest support, announced on Monday evening, comes in the form of a new partnership between London and Kyiv on AI.
Under the deal, the UK will have access to Ukraine’s Avengers AI Labs database to develop tools for use on the battlefield.
Britain described the platform as a “goldmine of battlefield data”. In return, the UK will offer scientists and tech companies access to develop new battlefield tools.
Sorties by RAF planes
On Monday, an RAF “Rivet Joint” surveillance aircraft was spotted by military observers over Lithuania and northern Poland, near to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
While sorties such as these are not unusual, the timing of the mission – reported by the X account OSINT Defender – could suggest the UK is gearing up for potential retaliation from Moscow for its support for Ukraine.
Exclusive
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How much caffeine is in your favourite cup of high street coffee?
Coffees from high street chains can vary “wildly” in the amount of caffeine they contain, a new study by Which? has shown.
Caption: Mockup image for coffee branding on coffee cup. Concept of environmental issue.
Photographer: Oscar Wong
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF
Costa tops caffeine leaderboards
The research found that a medium cappuccino from Costa contains 325mg of caffeine, almost three-and-a-half times that of the same drink at Starbucks, at 89mg.
Caption: Indianapolis – February 28, 2025: Starbucks coffeehouse chain. Starbucks has coffee locations in over 80 countries.
Photographer: jetcityimage
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStock Editorial
Copyright: ? Jonathan Weiss
Caption: Beckenham, England – May 8, 2011: Projecting sign on a branch of the Costa Coffee chain of coffee shops, in Beckenham, Kent (South East London). Costa Coffee was set up in 1971 in Lambeth, south London, by brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa who supplied caterers and coffee shops from their coffee roastery. They expanded into retailing in 1978.
Photographer: whitemay
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStock Unreleased
This caffeine content is around the same amount as four cans of Red Bull. Costa also has the most caffeine in its espresso shots – 100mg per serving – and its flat whites (241mg).
Where the other chains stand
Greggs is second in the caffeine standings, with 235mg in its cappuccino and Caffe Nero third, with 221mg.
Starbucks serves the least amount of caffeine across all its drinks, but levels have increased in its espressos, cappuccinos and filter coffees over three years.
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Housing Secretary Angela Rayner speaks to The i Paper’s Vicky Spratt (Photo: Alex Lancaster Lennox/The i Paper)
news
The areas included in first wave of new housing fund
In an interview with The i Paper, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has said the Government is “tilting” towards council and social housebuilding in a bid to reduce the number of homeless families in expensive temporary accommodation.
A surge in social housing
A total of £10bn worth of funding is going to councils and housing associations to build more than 70,000 homes across England, 60 per cent of which must be social housing, according to Rayner.
Caption: Stamford, Lincolnshire, England
Photographer: Travelpix Ltd
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Stone RF
The £10bn announced yesterday is set to be followed by approximately £21bn for council and social housing, which has not yet been allocated.
The areas receiving the funds
Of the £10bn, the following mayoral authorities will receive:
Greater Manchester: £529m
West Midlands: £409m
North East: £445m
West Yorkshire: £441m
Liverpool City Region: £380m
South Yorkshire: £249m
An additional 33 “strategic partners” that will receive the rest of the money will be announced in due course, the Government said.
The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, will be given £6bn to spend.
‘Changing order of queue’ will not solve social housing issue
Across England alone, more than 1.3 million households are currently languishing on social housing waiting lists (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty)
Reform UK has pledged to prioritise British-born workers under 35 when allocating social housing if the party enters government, but charities and experts have warned that “changing the order of the queue” would not solve the issue of social housing.
It’s August, which, conventionally, is supposed to be a quiet time in British politics. And yet, housing policy has become a focus this week.
As Rayner, Burnham and housing minister Matthew Pennycook finally announced the first wave of their allocations from the £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP), concern started to grow in rural areas that the lion’s share of funding was going to urban locations.
While it’s true that major cities have high levels of homelessness and a growing number of families languishing in temporary accommodation, the CCN warns there are now 23,000 homeless children in the same situation across England’s counties.
That’s enough to fill the average market town, and councils are warning that rural homelessness is becoming a “deepening crisis”, with areas such as North Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Durham seeing households in temporary accommodation increase more than sixfold.
In March this year, a record 23,186 children in county council areas were growing up in temporary accommodation such as bed and breakfasts, hostels, hotels and privately rented homes, which councils are often charged expensive rates to let.
According to the CCN, the number of homeless children in rural areas has risen by 74 per cent since 2019-20. This is almost double the national increase of 38 per cent.
While many headlines have focused on the strain on migrant accommodation in recent months, asylum seekers cannot be housed in council temporary or social accommodation and are housed by private providers.
Indeed, as I’ve reported, the rise in homeless families with children has been brewing in the background for years, and experts say it is because there is less social housing than there once was, leaving more low-income families to rely on private rents, which they increasingly cannot afford.
Rents have outpaced overall consumer inflation in recent years – private rents have grown 3.7 per cent in the last year, compared to an inflation rate of 2.9 per cent.
Meanwhile state support available to pay those rents (the housing benefit portion of universal credit) has mostly remained frozen. Homelessness charities, such as Crisis, have said they are being approached for help by people in work who don’t qualify for state support but, equally, cannot afford local rents.
As I’ve reported from places like Hastings on the south coast, temporary accommodation costs have pushed councils’ finances to the brink. English councils spent a total of £2.2bn in the two years between 2023 and 2025, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).
For years, the focus has (perhaps rightly) been on the impact this is having on local authorities in major cities. However, today the CCN is warning that rural councils are also seeing their costs “balloon” beyond a sustainable level.
Councils in county areas spent £124m on temporary accommodation in 2019-20, just before the Covid pandemic. Five years later, those councils were spending £373m.
The CCN says that as well as soaring rents, a lack of affordable homes in many areas is fuelling the problem, and it has called on the Government to step in.
Reform UK councillor Andrew Husband, housing and planning spokesperson at the CNN, said that while it recognised the SAHP funding, it was concerned that “virtually all the funds announced are going to England’s major cities.
“It is vital that the Government recognises that homelessness is now both an urban and rural challenge, and provides funding to support the delivery of more social and affordable housing in England’s counties.”
Husband is leader of Durham County Council, where the number of households living in temporary accommodation has risen more than 500 per cent from 19 to 118. He said the authority was “swimming against the tide” as “more and more people” needed support.
“Since taking over as leader almost 18 months ago now, I’ve seen first hand how the problem has worsened, despite us supporting record numbers of people who have become homeless and progressing plans for more affordable homes,” he added. “We’ve had to open homeless hubs not only in Durham city itself, but even smaller rural towns such as Tow Law.”
Husband called on the Government to develop a “homelessness strategy for rural areas”.
When I spoke to Rayner, she was clear that the Burnham Government’s intention was to focus on funding the construction of homes for social rent, which could help families out of temporary accommodation.
However, whether there will be more money for rural areas – and, crucially, whether any of the worst-affected rural councils will be able to bid for funding to build new housing in the next round of the SAHP – remains to be seen.
In the meantime, children will be stuck – sometimes for years – in temporary emergency accommodation which, as I’ve reported, is often unsuitable, unsafe and, sometimes, even dangerous.
Housing crisis watch
Forgive me for staying on topic this week, but several things stand out to me about the Government’s SAHP announcement.
Firstly, there are just three local authorities on their list of 33 “strategic partners” that have been allocated funding: Cambridge City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and Newcastle City Council.
Rayner told me that the Government would be “tilting” towards council house building and that this is just the start, but it looks like it is going to be a slow rebirth.
The Prime Minister has made it clear that he wants more councils (and perhaps mayoral authorities) to be able to build homes for social rent. Critics will argue that he has backed down on that in today’s announcement.
But, equally, he, Rayner and Pennycook have issued a clear statement of intention, and you could just as easily argue that Burnham has displayed a degree of pragmatism by getting this initial funding wave (which was largely already allocated when he became Prime Minister) out of the door quickly while also looking at how to support more councils in the next phase which, all told, will amount to about £21bn.
Read my full interview with Rayner, in which I asked her when we might expect that second wave of cash, here.
What I’ve been reading
In his brilliant newsletter, Comment is Freed, Sam Freedman wrote last year about his “financial crisis theory of everything”. He recently removed the paywall from this post, which was a good reminder for me to revisit it. You should read it too.
I am enjoying Arguably, the new Substack platform headed up by former New Statesman editor George Eaton, immensely. This week, there is a very interesting article arguing that politicians on the left urgently need to come up with policies to address the fact that people are having fewer babies because, at the moment, this conversation is dominated by the right. It is well worth a read.