Rough sleeping remains a serious risk as UK summers get warmer

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government figures show an 11% drop compared with 194 people in March 2025, which our Chief Executive Tom Neumark described as ‘encouraging early signs of progress.’

“But this is still 172 people too many,” he added. “We also know the figures do not show the whole picture, in reality, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Many more people are homeless but hidden away. They’re living out of cars, sleeping in public toilets, or sofa surfing with friends or even strangers. They are in urgent need of support but it’s difficult to reach them. Their hidden homelessness isn’t being talked about enough.”

With new analysis from the Met Office published this week showing that UK summers are getting warmer, we’re urging people not to overlook the dangers faced by those sleeping rough during periods of hot weather.

“The public rightly worries about people sleeping outside during winter, but the truth is that people experiencing homelessness in the summer are at risk of developing dehydration, heatstroke and other life-threatening conditions linked to extreme heat and prolonged sun exposure.”

Last week, as the UK experienced record May temperatures during a six-day spring heatwave, we carried out additional welfare checks on people sleeping rough while continuing efforts to find them safe accommodation.

How the public can help save lives

We’re calling on the public to support our Client Support Fund, which can be used to provide:

• drinking water, sunscreen, hats and other essentials
• emergency accommodation away from the streets
• long-term support to help people rebuild their lives after homelessness

“Nobody chooses to be homeless,” said Tom. “But we can choose to help. By making a donation, you could save a life this summer.”