Assessing Keir Starmer’s Progress on Promised Reforms

Following significant electoral setbacks for his party, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is encountering internal pressure to either resign or provide a clear schedule for his departure. In a recent address on Monday, the Prime Minister acknowledged his "responsibility for the change we promised for a stronger and fairer Britain." This commitment was underpinned by a set of "measurable milestones" announced in December 2024, which included specific goals regarding housing construction, reductions in hospital waiting lists, and improvements in living standards. The question now stands: how is his administration performing against these benchmarks?

Housing Construction

Starmer’s administration has pledged to construct 1.5 million "safe and decent homes" across England by the conclusion of the current Parliament in 2029. Progress is tracked via net additional dwellings, calculated by subtracting demolished properties from the total number of new or converted homes. While there is no yearly quota, achieving the 1.5 million goal would require an average of 300,000 units annually. Currently, Labour’s output is slightly above 200,000 homes per year.

Government officials argue that the rate of construction was always intended to accelerate in the latter stages of the term. However, current delivery rates remain lower than those recorded in the final years of the previous Conservative administration. Furthermore, escalating costs for building materials and increased energy prices—exacerbated by the conflict in Iran—present additional obstacles to meeting the target.

When to expect updates: Official statistics for the year ending in March will be released in November. For more immediate insights, BBC Verify’s housebuilding tracker monitors the issuance of the first Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for new homes, with data published approximately one month after each quarter concludes.

Hospital Waiting Times

A key health sector objective is to ensure that 92% of patients in England receive treatment within 18 weeks of referral by the end of the Parliament. This specific threshold was last achieved in 2015. Recent NHS data indicates gradual improvement: in February 2026, 62.6% of patients awaiting procedures were seen within the 18-week window, up from 58.8% when Labour assumed office in July 2024. The government has established an interim goal of reaching 65% by March 2026, with results expected on Thursday, 14 May.

When to expect updates: Waiting list data is typically released around six weeks after the end of each month. Regional tracking is available via the provided tracker.

Living Standards

Starmer’s agenda includes a commitment to "raising living standards in every part of the United Kingdom." The administration is monitoring Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per person, a metric reflecting income after taxes and benefits, adjusted for inflation. This indicator stagnated during the 2019–2024 Parliament, marking the first such period of non-growth since 1950–51, according to the Resolution Foundation. In the first year of the current government (2024–25), RHDI per person rose significantly by 3.1%.

However, projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), published in March 2026 shortly after the onset of the Iran war, suggest a slowdown. Forecasts predict growth of just 0.1% for 2025–26, followed by approximately 0.5% annually for the subsequent five years. Additionally, the government tracks GDP per head as a secondary indicator. The Office for National Statistics reported a 1.1% increase in 2025, reversing the zero growth seen in 2024.

When to expect updates: RHDI data is released roughly three months after the end of each quarter. GDP per capita figures are published approximately six weeks post-quarter.

Police Numbers

The government has vowed to "put police back on the beat" by recruiting 13,000 additional personnel—including officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), and volunteer special constables—focused on neighbourhood policing in England and Wales by the end of the Parliament. While the Home Office has not yet provided a detailed breakdown of these roles, the commitment remains a central pillar of their law enforcement strategy.

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