What might a Government led by Andy Burnham mean for the advice sector?

A government led by Andy Burnham is likely to trigger significant changes across the UK’s advice sector, with growing demand anticipated in immigration, housing, cost-of-living support and public accountability.

Burnham, who has made household stability and public sector transparency his top priorities, has supported several policies that experts claim will change how people seek legal and social welfare advice and how organisations respond.

Cost of Living and Household Support

Burnham has pledged immediate relief for households facing rising costs, including a six-month removal of VAT on electricity bills from October. The measure, expected to save a typical household around £45 per year, will be funded through scrapping the government's digital ID scheme.

Sector leaders welcome the intervention but warned it must be followed by longer-term action. Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty said that while the VAT cut was “welcome”, the organisation was “much more interested in what’s going to come at the budget for longer-term measures.”

Burnham has also vowed to create “breathing space” for households under pressure, with Housing Secretary Angela Rayner tasked with delivering record numbers of council homes and ending rough sleeping.

Advice organisations say these commitments will likely increase demand for debt, energy and budgeting support, alongside more complex casework linked to homelessness prevention.

Housing and Homelessness Reform

Labour’s housing agenda – including large-scale council house building and strengthened protections for renters – is expected to reshape local advice needs.

Homelessness charities, such as Crisis, anticipate higher caseloads as councils adjust to new duties and expanded prevention responsibilities. The reforms are expected to place additional pressure on already stretched legal aid and community-based support services unless investment increases alongside policy changes.

Hillsborough Law Set to Increase Accountability Casework

One of the most impactful proposals for the advice sector is the Hillsborough Law, which introduces a statutory duty of candour for public officials and guarantees equal legal funding for bereaved families challenging public authorities.

Legal experts say the legislation will significantly increase demand for advice linked to inquests, public inquiries and state accountability, with cases expected to become more complex and resource intensive.

According to LegalFutures, advice providers working with bereaved families or public inquiries “will see higher demand and more complex casework” as the law reshapes expectations around disclosure and transparency.

Managed Immigration and Asylum Reform

According to parliamentary voting records and recent public statements, Burnham’s stance on immigration combines stricter enforcement with faster decision-making and protection for lawful migrants.

He voted in favour of Labour’s Immigration and Asylum Bill at Second Reading, backing reforms including:

· Limits on Article 8 family life claims.

· Replacement of the current appeals system with independent adjudicators.

· New safe and legal refugee sponsorship routes.

· Measures to strengthen enforcement and reduce irregular migration, including Channel crossings.

Labour sources say Burnham supports the overall aims of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s controversial reforms but is preparing to reduce waiting times for migrants seeking the right to remain – a move aimed at preventing a Labour backbench revolt.

Nearly 80 Labour MPs have urged him to drop plans to tighten settlement rules for migrants already living in the UK, highlighting internal tensions over retrospective changes.

Burnham has also expressed support for allowing more asylum seekers to work while their applications are processed, arguing that faster decisions and access to employment would reduce destitution and improve integration.

Advice agencies expect these reforms to generate higher demand for immigration casework, particularly around settlement rights, appeals, sponsorship routes and enforcement actions.

Implications for the Advice Sector

The combined effect of Burnham’s policy agenda is likely to have an overall impact across the advice sphere:

· Higher demand for immigration, housing, cost-of-living and accountability advice.

· More complex casework, particularly around asylum appeals, settlement disputes and public inquiries.

· Regional commissioning changes, with devolution likely to shift funding and strategy to combined authorities.

· New opportunities for advice organisations to shape local anti-poverty and housing strategies.

Without increased investment in legal aid, community advice services and specialist immigration support, reforms could widen gaps in access to justice.

Political Context

While Burnham has not yet set out a full legislative programme, early signals suggest a government focused on household stability, managed migration and public-sector transparency. Many proposals remain subject to parliamentary negotiation and internal party debate and could change as legislation progresses.