Cold-Activated Warnings Launch For Thousands Rough Sleeping

New cold-activated warnings will launch across London as temperatures hit near freezing. They’ll advise people of the dangers of rough sleeping and help them find safety and warmth.

The Orange Warnings, from homelessness charity St Mungo’s, are fronted by weather presenter Alex Beresford. They’ll broadcast when the temperature drops to below 6C and becomes a risk to life.

The Orange Warnings acknowledge that anything below 6C could result in severe harm or death. Last year the UK hit 6C or below on 161 days, putting those facing nights on the street at risk.

The warnings will play out on train stations across the city. People sleeping rough tend to gravitate towards the commuter hubs as they offer basic facilities and protection from the weather.

The key locations of Orange Warnings will be Victoria, Kings Cross, Waterloo, Charing Cross, Euston, and London Bridge.

They’ll highlight the dangers of cold temperatures for people sleeping on the streets and how to seek support.

Cold weather effects

Last winter, nearly half (43 per cent) of the people St Mungo’s Outreach teams assessed had physical health needs. These included respiratory illnesses, hypothermia, and frostbite.

St Mungo’s reports that winter traditionally sees the highest proportion of people they support requiring emergency assistance. This can be as a direct result of these physical health needs.

Cold weather can intensify health risks such as hypothermia, frostbite and respiratory viruses, and place additional pressure on health and social care services.

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.

Raising awareness of rough sleeping

St Mungo’s Orange Warnings launch in response to 33 per cent of the nation not knowing how to support people experiencing homelessness. Only 3 per cent have made a referral to StreetLink to help someone who is experiencing homelessness.

With 40 per cent not donating or providing support for people experiencing homelessness in the last year, the need for donations is greater than ever.

By launching the Orange Warning, St Mungo’s aims to raise public awareness of the homelessness crisis during the difficult (and potentially life-threatening) cold winter months and encourage donations to help St Mungo’s continue its lifesaving work through its frontline teams.

The activation comes at a critical time as the estimated number of people 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 prior with 45 per cent of the people being 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 (186 people).

St Mungo’s work

As the nights draw in and the risks of cold-weather related illness and violence increase from the longer nights, St Mungo’s frontline teams are out on the streets as the first responders every day and night.

They work around the clock to reach people in urgent need of safety, warmth and emergency shelter.

And they help them to rebuild their lives for the long-term through counselling, employment services and skills courses.

Lee, who was supported by St Mungo’s, commented:

After spending nearly thirty years drifting on and off the streets, I know all too well what winter rough sleeping is like. 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.

Everything changed in 2016 when I met a St Mungo’s Outreach worker who helped me build a routine, gain confidence and take new courses which helped me to get off the streets.

I hope that by sharing my story, people can better understand how tough winter rough sleeping is, and how with the right support everything can change.

Alex Beresford, ITV Weather Presenter, said:

I’m proud to support St Mungo’s Orange Warning initiative this winter.

Freezing temperatures can be incredibly dangerous for anyone sleeping on the streets, so being part of the alert felt like a meaningful way to help raise awareness and encourage people to support.

St Mungo’s frontline teams are out every day and night helping people stay safe, and if you spot the Orange Warning this winter, I’d encourage you to pause, think of those facing the cold and visit St Mungo’s website to see how you can help.

Emma Haddad, CEO at St Mungo’s, added:

The winter months can be brutal for people sleeping rough; our frontline teams can find people needing medical treatment including for hypothermia, pneumonia, and frostbite.

We hope our Orange Warnings will shine a light on the harsh reality of winter on the streets and the support options available.

With the public’s support, we can continue to help people find safety, warmth, and a place they can finally call their own – now is the time to respond.

For more information about St Mungo’s, how to donate, and how referrals to their services work, please visit: mungos.org.

Featured image via St Mungo’s