Cold snap 'taking its toll' on Peterborough homeless service user
An amber cold health alert's currently in place for the East
Last updated 17th Jan 2024
A former rough sleeper helped by a Cambridgeshire charity has said the current cold snap is having an impact on his health.
It comes as the UK Health Security Agency put the East of England under an amber cold health alert as low temperatures are due to stay over much of this week.
Patrick has been attending The Light Project Peterborough since March last year, having lived on the streets before finding accommodation at a guest house.
He's been finding the current cold snap hard to deal with:
"Before I was homeless, I got that cold I felt like I wanted to jump off a multi-storey car park; you felt like you just didn't have a purpose," he said.
"Your body just can't take it, you just adapt to it but this cold weather is taking its toll.
"I've got mental health issues and on heavy medication so it's not best for me to be out on the streets; it's great here (at the Light Project Peterborough), I've got so much support, a hot meal, someone to listen to and a little bit of structure in my life."
"I always think of Bear Grylls; it can be done"
One way that Patrick is using to overcome the effects of the cold snap is to be like British adventurer and TV presenter, Bear Grylls.
"He's been in worse situations, it can be done; it's not the best but it is what it is," he said.
The Light Project Peterborough sees around 300-400 new people a year needing its services, including those who are or have been made homeless.
Steven Pettican, the charity's chief executive officer, believes it's not easy to find temporary accommodation for those in need.
"Some people may not be ready to accept some of the accommodation in place, or fearful of going to a different place and finding it difficult to navigate through the system," he said.
"Everybody's in dire need in this cold snap but if we feel someone's going to die on the streets, we will find funds to make sure they're not out on the streets."
Government investing to tackle homelessness
The government has already committed to providing more than £650 million to councils in England through the Homelessness Prevention Grant to deliver services in tackling and preventing homelessness.
But in December, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) pledged to make £1 billion available to councils.
A DLUHC spokesperson said at the time: "(This is) so councils can give financial support for people to find a new home and move out of temporary accommodation.
"Temporary accommodation is an important way of making sure no family is without a roof over their head, but councils must ensure it is temporary and suitable for families, who have a right to appeal if it doesn’t meet their household’s needs."