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The activation comes as the number of Brits estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn rose to 4,667 last year
Shaheena UddinTuesday 02 December 2025 15:27 GMTComments
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Cold weather warnings have been issued across London as temperatures plummet to levels that are a “threat to life” to thousands of homeless people.
It comes after mayor Sadiq Khan and London councils activated the pan-London Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) in November to protect those sleeping rough over the winter.
Homelessness charity St Mungos has now issued its own orange warning, acknowledging that anything below 6C could be “potentially life-threatening” for rough sleepers.
The UK hit 6C or below 161 days across last year, with 87 per cent of those during the winter, putting those facing nights on the street in danger.
open image in galleryThe UK hit 6C or below 161 days across last year, with 87 per cent of those during the winter (Getty/iStock)Lee, who spent “nearly 30 years drifting on and off the streets” before being supported by St Mungo’s, described his experience with winter rough sleeping: “Some mornings I woke up covered in snow, other nights I slept in a graveyard where squirrels chewed through my sleeping bag for nesting material.
“It was a brutal existence, and I’d begun to believe it was all my life would ever be.”
The warning comes at a critical time as the number of Brits estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn rose to 4,667 last year.
This has risen for the third year in a row, increasing 20 per cent from the year before, with nearly half (45 per cent) of people in London and the South East.
The largest regional increase was in London, rising from 1,132 in 2023 to 1,318 in 2024 - a 16 per cent increase of 186 people.
More than 13,000 people were seen rough sleeping by outreach workers in London during 2024-2025, the highest number ever recorded on London’s Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) database.
Train stations across the capital, which rough sleepers often gravitate to for shelter, will display the orange warnings, including Victoria, Kings Cross, Waterloo, Charing Cross, Euston and London Bridge. The campaign will highlight the dangers of cold temperatures for people sleeping on the streets and how to seek support.
This comes after the mayor announced £10m earlier this year, the biggest single investment to tackle homelessness, with an additional £17m from the government to end rough sleeping by 2030.
Cold weather can pose health risks such as hypothermia, frostbite and respiratory viruses, and place additional strain on health and social care services.
Last winter, nearly half (43 per cent) of the people assessed by St Mungo’s had physical health needs.
open image in galleryMore than 13,000 people were seen rough sleeping by outreach workers in London during 2024-2025 - the highest number ever recorded (Getty Images)Current projections suggest that deaths linked to extreme cold will peak around 2030, while deaths associated with moderate cold are expected to reach their highest levels in the 2050s.
A third (33 per cent) of the nation admits to not knowing how to support homeless people, with only 3 per cent of Brits making a referral to StreetLink, an app which supports rough sleepers.
St Mungo’s reported that nearly half of Brits (40 per cent) have not donated or provided support for people experiencing homelessness in the last year, so “the need for donations is greater than ever”.
How to help a homeless person
St Mungo’s issued this advice on what to do if you spot a homeless person:
- Speak to your local authority’s ‘housing options’ team to find out what help they can offer (e.g emergency accommodation in a shelter or hostel, longer-term accommodation in social housing, or through independent living)
- Use StreetLink, a national rough sleeper referral app which St Mungo’s helps to run in London. It will inform outreach teams, local authorities and other homeless organisations about the person and their location, which connects them to local support
- Contact Shelter, a homelessness and housing advice charity, which has a free housing advice helpline on 0808 800 4444, which can advise on rights and help explore available options
- Day centres can help provide food, shelter, washing facilities, housing advice, skills and employment training, social and support networks. The nearest option can be found by looking at Homeless Link’s searchable database of homeless services.
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