Title: Assessing Keir Starmer’s Progress on His Promises of Change

Keir Starmer is encountering significant pressure from members of his own party to either resign or provide a clear schedule for his departure, a reaction stemming from his party’s recent substantial electoral defeats. In a recent address on Monday, the Prime Minister acknowledged his accountability for the transformation he vowed to achieve for a "stronger and fairer Britain." Earlier, in December 2024, he outlined several "measurable milestones," which encompassed specific goals regarding housing construction, hospital wait times, and improvements in living standards. The question remains: how is his administration faring in achieving these objectives?

Housing Construction

The government’s strategy involves constructing 1.5 million "safe and decent homes" in England, with the aim of completing this goal by the end of the current parliamentary term in 2029. Progress is tracked using the metric of net additional dwellings, which calculates the balance between properties built or converted and those demolished. While there is no specific yearly quota, achieving the total would require an average of 300,000 homes annually. Currently, Labour is adding slightly more than 200,000 homes per year.

Government officials argue that the pace was always intended to accelerate toward the 1.5 million target during the latter stages of the Parliament. However, it is notable that current delivery rates have actually declined compared to the final years of the previous Conservative administration. Furthermore, the target faces increased difficulty due to rising construction material costs and elevated energy prices exacerbated by the war in Iran.

When will we know? Official statistics for the year ending in March will be released in November. For a more immediate indicator, BBC Verify’s housebuilding monitor tracks the number of new homes receiving their initial Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), with data released approximately one month after the conclusion of each quarter.

Hospital Waiting Times

Regarding healthcare, the commitment is to ensure that 92% of patients in England are seen within 18 weeks by the end of the Parliament. This specific threshold was last met in 2015. Nevertheless, there are indications of improvement. According to the most recent NHS data for England, 62.6% of patients scheduled for procedures were treated within the 18-week window in February 2026. This represents an increase from the 58.8% recorded when Labour assumed office in July 2024. The administration has established an interim benchmark of 65% by March 2026, with this data set to be released on Thursday, 14 May.

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

Living Standards

Starmer’s agenda includes a pledge to "raise living standards in every part of the United Kingdom." The government is monitoring this through Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per person, a metric that reflects income remaining after taxes and benefits, adjusted for inflation. Under the previous government (2019–2024), RHDI per person stagnated, marking the first such occurrence since the 1950–51 Parliament, according to the Resolution Foundation.

In the first year of the current administration (2024–25), RHDI per person rose significantly by 3.1%. However, forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest a slowdown, predicting a mere 0.1% growth for 2025–26 and approximately 0.5% annually over the subsequent five years. These projections were issued in March 2026, shortly after the outbreak of the Iran war.

Additionally, the government tracks GDP per head as an indicator of living standards. The Office for National Statistics reported a 1.1% increase in GDP per capita in 2025, following a period of zero growth in 2024.

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

Police Numbers

The government has pledged to "put police back on the beat" by recruiting 13,000 additional 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 yet provided a detailed breakdown of this figure but has stated it

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