🌙 Homelessness in Winter UK: Rising Deaths and the Urgent Need for Support in Cambridge
As the UK transitions back to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on Sunday, October 26, 2025, the nights grow longer and colder. For many, this marks the cozy beginning of winter. But for those experiencing homelessness, it signals something far more dangerous — longer hours exposed to freezing temperatures and fewer opportunities to find warmth or shelter.
Recent data reveals a grim reality: 2024 saw a record 1,611 deaths among people experiencing homelessness across the UK, a 9% increase from the year before.
A Record Year: 1,611 Homeless Deaths in 2024
According to the Museum of Homelessness, deaths rose from 1,474 in 2023 to 1,611 in 2024 — meaning, on average, four people died every day while homeless.
In the East of England, homelessness deaths increased from 95 in 2023 to 114 in 2024, with Cambridgeshire alone recording 22 fatalities. These statistics underline the human cost of housing insecurity and the urgent need for stronger, sustained action.
“No one should die on our streets. That should not be happening in this day and age.”
— Vanessa Hemmings, CEO of Harp, Southend
Longer Nights Mean Greater Risks
The return to GMT means darker evenings and colder nights — conditions that make survival harder for those sleeping rough. Reduced daylight hours also limit access to essential services, such as food banks, day centres, and healthcare.
For people without a safe place to sleep, this shift can be life-threatening. Exposure, hunger, and untreated illness are daily realities, made worse by the season’s harsh conditions.
The Role of Charities and Community Support
Charities like Jimmy’s Cambridge play a vital role in bridging the gap for those most at risk.
Jimmy’s provides:
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Safe and warm emergency accommodation
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Access to food, healthcare, and wellbeing support
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Pathways to independent living through tailored support
Your support — through donations, volunteering, or spreading awareness — helps keep people safe and rebuilds lives from crisis to stability.
How You Can Help
You can make a real difference this winter:
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💙 Donate to Jimmy’s Cambridge — every contribution helps provide meals, essentials, and shelter.
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🙌 Volunteer Your Time — help in our shelters or with outreach teams.
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📢 Raise Awareness — share information on homelessness to encourage others to get involved.
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🎄 Join our Christmas Carol Concert in December — a festive evening raising vital funds for people experiencing homelessness. Find out more & get tickets
While the winter clock change may seem like a minor event, for individuals experiencing homelessness, it marks the beginning of a challenging season. The recent increase in homelessness deaths underscores the urgency of addressing this crisis. Through collective action and community support, we can help ensure that everyone has a safe and warm place to sleep during the colder months.
For more information on how you can support individuals experiencing homelessness in Cambridge, visit Jimmy’s Cambridge.