A rough sleeper suffering from heat exhaustion on the streets of High Wycombe on the hottest day of the year has been given emergency accommodation. 

Wycombe Homeless Connection has been helping those in need on the streets amid a rise in the number of people sleeping rough. 

The charity has helped 12 people with water, sun cream and other hygiene items as the county suffered such high temperatures that the Met Office issued its first ever red warning for extreme heat. 

It comes just days after Wycombe Homeless Connection CEO James Boultbee said he had noticed more people sleeping rough now than they had in years.

He said the number of concerned members of the public calling in to the charity’s hotline letting them know about those sleeping rough has increased – and he said he “hasn’t seen that many people sleeping rough” on the streets of Wycombe “for years”.

During the pandemic, evictions were banned and anyone who was on the street was offered accommodation.

He said: “For two years from March 2020, everyone found to be rough sleeping in Buckinghamshire was offered emergency accommodation so they could stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Some of that accommodation was funded by the government, some by Buckinghamshire Council and some by Wycombe Homeless Connection and our supporters.

“I was proud of how we all came together in a crisis to make sure no one was left to sleep rough during a public health emergency.

“Unfortunately the emergency response was never going to be permanent solution. In fact emergency accommodation is never a permanent solution; ideally it’s only ever a brief step towards a longer term home.

“At the end of March this year that provision came to an end and the numbers of people sleeping rough have gone back up significantly. We’re currently aware of almost 30 people who are frequently sleeping rough across the south of Buckinghamshire.”

James said the number of people on the streets of Wycombe is now “going up, too much” – something he had hoped would not happen.

He said: “I said during the pandemic that it would make absolutely no sense to see what was effectively an end to rough sleeping, only to let it come back with a vengeance when the crisis was over, especially considering there is a national target to end it by 2024.

“But, the eviction ban is long over, there is a cost of living crisis and we’re seeing huge emotional and relational fallout from the pandemic which is causing large numbers of people to leave the places they live. And there has been no increase in the amount of affordable homes. There are simply too few ways to find a home for someone who has become homeless.”

The charity is taking on extra staff and training more volunteers to help tackle the problem – but James said there should be “suitable housing for everyone who needs it, and no one should lie awake at night worrying about ending up homeless or sleep outside on the streets terrified about the future”.

In recent days, amid the sweltering hot temperatures, the team have been out and about offering extra help, including bottles of water, sun cream and other hygiene items.

One person was also given emergency accommodation because they were already suffering from heat exhaustion.

To donate to Wycombe Homeless Connection to help their work, go to wyhoc.org.uk/help-and-hope-appeal