There have been many changes at Downing Street over the years – and we’re not just talking about the time we had three different Prime Ministers in a matter of months. In a historic turn of events, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party won the 2024 General Election by a landslide, marking the first time they have been in power for 14 years. As the next few weeks unfold, there will be lots going on at Number 10, as Rishi Sunak and his family vacate the property to make way for Starmer, his wife Victoria and their two children .
The famous address has been the official residence of the British Prime Minister since 1735, however, not every PM has chosen to live there. Over the years some have opted to move into the living quarters above the next door Number 11 instead, as the four-bedroom flat there, which is normally the home of the Chancellor, is bigger than Number 10. This happened most notably in 1997 when Tony Blair took office, and he decided to swap apartments with his Chancellor, Gordon Brown .
David Cameron also decided to move into Number 11 when he was in charge, as did Theresa May and Boris Johnson. Both homes have seen a number of big interior design changes over the years, with Rishi and wife Akshata Murty making the most recent changes. A total of £30,000 is available to the prime minister as an annual allowance to be spent on their living quarters, and some have ended up spending much more than this.
Here’s a closer look at how much some of the big refurbishments .
