Climate change
Climate change is fundamentally altering the nature and frequency of severe weather. Historically, extremely cold weather has often been a factor of UK winters, however in recent years extremely hot weather in summers and storms year-round have become increasingly prevalent. In fact, Met Office data show that 2023 and 2024 had some of the highest rainfall since records began (in 1766), and since early 2023 there have been 19 named storms. This the highest number ever recorded in a comparable period.
These changes are having direct and growing consequences for people experiencing homelessness
What do we mean by severe weather?
“Severe weather” can include extreme cold, heat, wind, or rain that increases risk to people sleeping rough. With climate change driving unpredictable conditions, Local Authorities should prepare for extreme weather year-round.
Guidance
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Hot weather
Just like extreme cold, heat can pose a serious risk to life for people sleeping rough. Find out how to recognise heat exhaustion and heatstroke, and what your service can put in place.
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Resource
Cold weather
Extreme cold can cause serious health problems and death for people exposed overnight or for long periods. Find out about the health impacts and what good practice looks like.
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High winds and rainfall
High winds and heavy rain can be just as dangerous and life-threatening as extreme cold or heat, yet are often not recognised in existing responses. Find out about the health impacts and how to respond.
Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP)
SWEP is a locally agreed procedure and offer, followed to minimise harm or death to anyone who might be sleeping rough in severe weather, through the provision of emergency accommodation.
Day services and outreach
- Day services can extend their opening hours to provide safe shelter in any type of extreme weather, such as cool spaces in extreme heat, warm spaces in extreme cold, and dry spaces in heavy rain. Local authorities can consider funding this.
- It’s good practice for outreach teams to change how they work with the weather. They can add daytime shifts in hot weather, focus shifts on welfare checks when heat alerts are issued, and provide dry bags and waterproof clothing when the weather is poor, in line with our Principles for Rough Sleeping Outreach.
- Some people will refuse shelter. Keep offering support, and keep checking on their welfare through frequent visits and by providing resources and information.
- Staff in both types of service need guidance too. That means knowing the health impacts of the weather, being able to recognise and respond to heat exhaustion, heatstroke and hypothermia, and having appropriate clothing and footwear for shifts in wet or stormy weather.