Jon Glackin from Streets Kitchen

SCORCHING temperatures are challenging for those with a stable home to go back to but they can be fatal for those who are experiencing homeless, charities have said this week.

As London endures its third heatwave of the summer, organisations supporting people sleeping rough on the streets of Camden have warned of the danger to those with underlying health conditions and that the hostels and “cool spaces” designed as respites during extreme weather are often unfit for the heat.

Mel Malcolm is head of rough sleeping services at Single Homeless Project, which took over Camden’s homeless outreach services in April.

She told the New Journal: “Climate change means that this is going to be happening more and more. The question is, what is central government going to do about it? There is no funding for local authorities in instances like this. We can mitigate as much as possible but we need something more proactive.”

When temperatures fall below zero during the winter, there is a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) that says the council must provide temporary accommodation to every homeless person.

There is also a SWEP for heatwaves, triggered when the Met Office issues amber or red warnings.

But part of the problem is that even the spaces where rough sleepers can escape the elements are not designed for extremely high temperatures, Ms Malcolm told.

“Sometimes we found that even people who were in hostels were actually out in the evening because it was too hot, and that’s to do with the building,” she said.

More people congregating outside at night has also meant opportunities for “low level dealers”, Ms Malcolm added, who have been coming in “almost like sharks” to exploit rough sleepers who utilise alcohol and drug support services.

Ms Malcolm also explained that while many people can pop into a shop or a library to cool down, these so-called “cool spaces” are not always welcoming for rough sleepers, who can be followed around by security guards or even told that they cannot come in.

“It’s about making it accessible — it could be just having a couple of volunteers, or having a stand giving out food and water, the kinds of things that open the door to everyone.”

She added: “There needs to be more information out there about the risks, and I do think local authorities can do more.”

Streets Kitchen’s Jon Glackin told the New Journal that even when SWEP has been activated, its success depends on being able to reach those who need it.

“Over the weekend, we served over 200 people experiencing homelessness in the borough, with no changes to the numbers when we would have hoped we should have seen less,” he said.

“Very few knew anything about SWEP, while those lucky enough to be in temporary accommodation found it unbearably hot—some trapped in rooms with windows that could not even open. Improvements have been promised for too many years now.”

Camden’s housing chief Councillor Anna Wright said: “The welfare of anyone sleeping rough in Camden is of the utmost importance to us, especially so during any extreme weather.

“Our Camden Outreach Service have increased patrols to offer accommodation to anyone sleeping rough during the recent hot weather.

“They are also offering water, sun cream, hats and access to cool spaces, along with advice on how to access wider support and keep well during the hot weather. If you see anyone sleeping rough, please call 0808 800 0005 or 020 7846 3535, providing details of the person’s location and description so that we can locate them to offer support.”