How professionals can support rough sleepers during hot weather, including heat-health alerts and government guidance.
Rough sleepers at high-risk during hot weather
People sleeping on the streets are at high-risk during periods of hot weather. There can be severe impacts on their health and well-being.
Rough sleepers can find it difficult to cool down. They might sleep on hot tarmac or in direct sun, with little access to water or shelter. Without safe storage for belongings, they might need to wear all their clothes: winter coats, many layers, heavy shoes.
People sleeping on the streets might have health conditions or addictions. Alcohol and some drugs are dehydrating. These vulnerabilities can mean that they are less able to move out of direct sunlight and seek help.
Recognise heat exhaustion and heatstroke
The health effects of heat can be severe and life threatening.
Heat exhaustion happens when a person overheats. Symptoms include heavy sweating, dizziness, and feeling faint.
If a person doesn’t cool down and hydrate they can develop heatstroke.
Heatstroke is a life threatening condition and anyone showing symptoms needs emergency medical help. Signs of heatstroke include seizures, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
When a rough sleeper collapses from heat exhaustion or heatstroke they might be mistaken for being asleep or drunk. Outreach staff and others should understand the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and know to take quick action.
The NHS has heat exhaustion and heatstroke health advice.
Sign up for heat-health alerts
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides a heat-health alert service from 1 June to 15 September, in partnership with the Met Office. It is aimed at health and social care professionals and anyone with a role in reducing the harm extended periods of hot weather can have on health. This includes the health effects on rough sleepers.
The system is impact-based and provides information over and above the fact that hot weather is likely to occur. For example, how an NHS strike during a predicted heatwave could worsen health impacts.
What the alert levels mean
The Met Office monitors forecasts and assesses potential impacts of high temperatures. Where an alert is needed, the Met Office releases one at a level based on suspected impacts.
The alert levels are:
yellow – impacts are expected for the most vulnerable, including rough sleepers
amber – impacts are expected across the population
red – a significant risk to life even for healthy people
Register to receive heat-health alerts
The heat-health alert system dashboard is available online. It’s important that professionals are up to date with changes to the alert level so they can respond quickly.
Anyone can register to receive heat-health alerts on the Met Office website.
Prepare services for hot weather and respond effectively
Government guidance includes information about how to prepare for hot weather and take action to support rough sleepers.
The guidance is for professionals responsible for people sleeping rough, including local authorities, and organisations providing street-based support.
Read the guidance on supporting people homeless and sleeping rough on Gov.uk.
Plan for hot weather
Local authorities and other organisations should consider developing or improving their local heat severe weather plans and risk assessment strategies. They could identify cool spaces and plan to make emergency accommodation suitable during hot weather.
Authorities could build relationships and trust with people sleeping rough. Permanent facilities might be more likely to be used compared with emergency pop-up facilities. For example, rough sleepers might be more likely to use a familiar day centre with air conditioning and extra fans. A cool space might include access to water and food.
Organisations could prepare resources, such as a map of cool spaces, water fountains, and public toilets. Find the London cool spaces map.
Take action when the temperature rises
When there are heat alerts, local authorities and organisations could work together to provide rough sleepers with:
food and cool water
shade, appropriate clothes and sunscreen
effective information and resources
access to cool spaces, including outdoor areas
Action could be taken in a staged process as the alert levels rise. This contrasts with a cold weather response, where it is common for action to be taken only when the temperature falls below freezing. A staged approach might include:
extra outreach to check on rough sleepers during a yellow heat-health alert
providing cool spaces and accommodation during an amber heat-health alert
Read case studies from local authorities on Homeless Link.
Get help for a rough sleeper during a heatwave
Anyone worried about someone sleeping rough can contact StreetLink to connect the person with support services.
Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP)
Every local authority should have a severe weather emergency protocol (SWEP) to help people sleeping on the streets. Severe weather includes heatwaves. Local authorities are encouraged to follow the Met Office's UK weather warnings and heat-health alerts.
SWEP support might include temporary accommodation in a hostel or night shelter. People should not have to meet immigration, residence or priority need conditions to access support.
Find the contact details of a local authority to find out more about its severe weather protocol and how to refer a person for help.
Support a person to apply as homeless
People who are homeless can apply for help from any local authority. A local authority has a duty to provide interim accommodation if it has reason to believe the person might be homeless, eligible for assistance, and in priority need.
A person can have a priority need if they are vulnerable, for example because of a physical or mental health condition. A person’s circumstances can be relevant. For example, a rough sleeper might be more vulnerable during a heatwave.
Find out more about the homeless application process.