Overview
- Red and amber Met Office heat warnings have left rough sleepers and people in temporary or poor-quality housing at higher risk of dehydration, heatstroke and worsened chronic conditions.
- The Wallich has sent rough-sleeping outreach teams across Wales to hand out water, suncream, hats and wet wipes and to give harm‑reduction advice about drug and alcohol use in high temperatures.
- Several councils, including Swansea, Cardiff and Newport, have activated severe-weather arrangements or equivalent measures to offer extra accommodation and stepped-up welfare checks, while others such as Pembrokeshire report proactive engagement without formally triggering the protocol.
- Local charities are running on-the-ground cooling measures and food services, with groups like Matthew’s House using misting hoses and meal provision and commissioned outreach services such as the Salvation Army continuing street support.
- The emergency responses aim to save lives now but underscore a reliance on short-term shelter and outreach rather than long-term housing fixes for the more than 10,000 people in temporary accommodation who remain vulnerable to future extreme heat