Title: Tracking Keir Starmer’s Progress on Promised Reforms

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is encountering mounting pressure from within his own party to either resign or establish a clear timeline for stepping down, a response to significant electoral setbacks. In a recent address on Monday, the Prime Minister acknowledged his "responsibility for the change we promised for a stronger and fairer Britain." Earlier, in December 2024, he outlined several "measurable milestones" aimed at addressing key issues, including housing construction, reducing hospital wait times, and improving living standards. The question now is: how is his administration faring in achieving these goals?

Housing Construction

Starmer’s administration has committed to constructing 1.5 million "safe and decent homes" across England by the conclusion of the current Parliament in 2029. Progress is being tracked via net additional dwellings, which calculates the difference between properties built or converted and those demolished. While there is no strict annual quota, reaching the 1.5 million goal would require an average of 300,000 new units annually. Currently, Labour is adding just over 200,000 homes per year. Government officials argue that the pace is intended to accelerate in the later stages of the Parliament. However, data indicates that the current delivery rate is actually lower than that of the final years of the previous Conservative government. Furthermore, escalating costs for building materials and increased energy prices—exacerbated by the Iran war—pose additional challenges to meeting the target.

When will we know? Official data for the year ending in March will be released in November. In the interim, BBC Verify’s housebuilding tracker monitors a more immediate indicator: the number of new homes receiving their initial Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). These updates are released approximately one month after the close of each quarter.

Hospital Waiting Times

Regarding healthcare, the pledge is to ensure 92% of patients in England are seen within 18 weeks by the end of the Parliament. This specific threshold was last achieved in 2015. Recent NHS data suggests some improvement: in February 2026, 62.6% of patients scheduled for procedures were seen within the 18-week window. This represents an increase from the 58.8% recorded when Labour assumed office in July 2024. The government has established an interim target of 65% by March 2026, with results to be announced on Thursday, 14 May.

When will we know? Waiting list statistics are typically published about six weeks after the end of each month. Readers can monitor local waiting times using the available tracker.

Living Standards

Starmer’s agenda includes a commitment to "raising living standards in every part of the United Kingdom." The government is monitoring real household disposable income (RHDI) per person, a metric that accounts for taxes, benefits, and inflation. Notably, RHDI per person failed to grow during the previous Parliament (2019–2024), marking the first stagnation since the 1950-51 term, according to the Resolution Foundation. In the first year of the current government (2024-25), RHDI per person rose significantly by 3.1%. However, forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest a slowdown, predicting growth of just 0.1% for 2025-26 and approximately 0.5% annually for the subsequent five years. These projections were released in March 2026, shortly after the onset of the Iran war.

Additionally, the government tracks GDP per head to gauge economic performance. The Office for National Statistics reported a 1.1% growth in GDP per capita in 2025, following a period of zero growth in 2024.

When will we know? RHDI data is released roughly three months after the end of each quarterly period. GDP per capita figures are published approximately six weeks after the close of each quarter.

Police Numbers

The commitment to "putting police back on the beat" involves recruiting 13,000 additional personnel, including police officers, police community support officers (PCSOs), and volunteer special constables for neighborhood policing roles in England and Wales by the end of the Parliament. The Home Office has not provided a detailed breakdown of this figure but has stated it...

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-12 07:59:13 UTC