Simple ways you can help homeless people in the heatwave

As the temperature continues to soar above 35°C, homeless people and those sleeping rough are increasingly vulnerable. Here’s how you can help protect the homeless in the heatwave.

Homelessness tends to make news headlines more during the winter, yet heatwaves can be every bit as disastrous for those without a home. It’s a struggle faced by over 280,000 people who are currently living on the street in Britain, and the issue only intensifies in the hot summer months. 

The Met Office has extended an amber extreme heat warning, as temperatures look to build later this week and early next week for much of the country, reaching highs in excess of 35°C.

Being exposed to the sun’s harmful rays all day, and lacking access or funds to buy water and sunscreen, means many homeless people will not only become very uncomfortable throughout the heatwave, but stand to get ill as well. 

“Homeless people are faced with a battle to find cool spots to shelter in, cold drinking water and places to shower off, while being at higher risk of sunburn, dehydration and heatstroke,” explains The Big Issue in a recent article.

For those wanting to know how they can help those sleeping rough in high temperatures, The Big Issue suggests asking your local council if they will activate severe weather emergency protocols (SWEP).

“When extreme weather poses a health risk, councils can activate severe weather emergency protocols. These can be activated in response to high winds, freezing temperatures and snow as well as extreme heat,” it writes.

“It’s up to the council whether they decide to activate SWEP and while most local authorities are likely to open up places to shelter and reach out to rough sleepers under SWEP it is voluntary.”

However, if you believe your council should be activating SWEP, you can contact them to let them know.

Alternatively, if you see someone in need of medical attention in hot weather, don’t hesitate to call 999 to get them the help they need. Other organisations can offer support to those left without a home, including Streetlink, which will put you in touch with your local frontline services — Centrepoint, St Mungos, Crisis, Shelter and more.

“A lot of people sleeping rough don’t have the basic items needed to survive on the streets in hot temperatures,” explains Debra Ives, director of operations at homelessness charity Evolve Housing + Support.

“As a result, we’re calling on the public to donate things like sun cream, water, and sun hats to help those at risk in the coming months. People can either offer them directly, or donate them to a shelter or charity.”

The charity has also offered some advice with easy ways to help for anyone wondering what they can do to assist someone sleeping on the streets. Instead of giving spare change, here are some essential items you can buy and distribute:

Sunscreen

Sunburn is a very real threat to those exposed to the sun all day and sunscreen is expensive. Purchasing a high-factor cream may help someone avoid skin damage.

A bottle of water and food

These things are always a good idea, but in the summer a bottle of water is an absolute must. Go big on the water and, if possible, opt for foods with a high water content such as vegetables and fruit that are good for hydration. 

Hats and sunglasses

Many homeless people will be out in direct line of the sun all day which makes them vulnerable to sunstroke. Buying someone a wide-brimmed hat will help keep the sun off the top of their head and face. Sunglasses are also really helpful because they protect the eyes from sun damage.

A hand-held fan

Small, battery powered hand-held fans mean a homeless person can cool down without having to find an electricity source or exerting much of their energy. This kind of fan will help bring down their body temperature which is important for avoiding sunstroke.

Baby wipes

Of course, aside from the obvious problems like dehydration and sunstroke that come with hot weather, it’s upsetting to think that a homeless person will have nowhere to keep clean in the heat. One small way we can try and help this is by distributing baby wipes to help with sanitation and avoid athlete’s foot.

Evolve also recommend the website streetlink.org.uk, which enables members of the public to connect people sleeping rough with the local services that can support them. If you see someone in need that you want to approach, go to this website and you can let the right people know where they are.

Remember: however you feel comfortable helping a rough sleeper is up to you. You can see more ways of supporting the homeless, such as volunteering and campaigning, over on St Mungo’s website here.

Images: Getty / Tom Parsons

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