How has Andy Burnham used his first 100 days in power?

Burnham made a series of what Downing Street calls “everyday fixes” central to his premiership, targeting everything from electricity bills and bus fares to misleading discounts, subscription traps and antisocial behaviour on public transport. One of his first announcements, the removal of VAT from domestic electricity bills across Britain, took effect on 1 October. The government estimates an annualised saving of £45 for a typical household, although the temporary measure is funded only until March. Other announcements have yet to take effect. A £2 cap on participating bus services in England outside London and new rules making subscriptions easier to cancel are due to start in January.

The bus measure also involves trade-offs. It is partly funded by switching international climate finance from grants to loans, a decision criticised by development charities. The strategy is intended to demonstrate that the government understands ordinary frustrations and can respond quickly. Yet questions remain about whether a collection of relatively modest interventions can significantly improve living standards. The VAT cut on electricity bills is not likely to help struggling households, who are more likely to be reliant on gas than electricity.

Ending rough sleeping was among Burnham’s earliest commitments, drawing on his experience as the mayor of Greater Manchester. The government initially allocated £442m to tackle the problem, and announced a further £432m on Sunday, bringing its commitment to £874m over different funding periods.

Burnham wants everyone sleeping rough in England to be offered a route off the streets or appropriate support before Christmas. But the success of the initiative will depend on whether people can access suitable accommodation and the services needed to help them remain housed. And it remains unclear how exactly the prime minister hopes to keep people from going back on to the streets and not staying permanently in temporary accommodation.