'Being homeless in a cold snap is like living in a freezer'

With temperatures plunging several degrees below zero this week, homeless people have been struggling to stay warm while sleeping on the streets of Leeds. The BBC met Jaden Forrest, who has been trying to secure regular accommodation.

Jaden found himself homeless three months ago, after a car accident left him unable to work and he could no longer pay his rent.

The 28-year-old said being homeless when the weather is cold is like "being in a freezer 24/7" and he is scared that when he goes to sleep, he won't wake up again.

Jaden told the BBC that he woke up earlier this week completely covered in snow and he had to be dug out by staff from a nearby Tesco store.

He added: "It's horrible, it's not a way a human should be living."

Jaden's situation was compounded by his mother's death just before Christmas.

He said: "Don't judge a person because they're sat on the street - that could happen to anyone.

"Be reasonable and ask us about our situation."

The current cold snap brought the coldest conditions in Yorkshire in four years, according to the Met Office.

Leeds City Council said that when temperatures are forecast to fall below zero, it activates an "emergency protocol" with its partners to provide extra beds for rough sleepers.

They are often in the communal areas of hostels and other sheltered accommodation sites.

However, Jaden said that beds are only allocated on a "night-by-night basis", leaving him uncertain about whether he will have a placement.

He has slept for three nights in a hotel but was back on the streets on Wednesday.

Jaden said his warm clothes were donated by members of the public but the council and charities have provided him with hot drinks and hand and body warmers.

He also said people could be offered placements "miles away" from their family and support networks.

"That's not doing any good for people's mental health who need to see their families and children."

The council clarified that all accommodation offers were made within the Leeds district, but that the city covered a large area.

A council spokesperson added: "The council works hard to try to ensure all vulnerable people, including those experiencing homelessness, are given proper care and attention during periods of cold weather."

Homeless Street Angels, an outreach charity based in Leeds, said it gives out twice as many sleeping bags during a cold snap.

Volunteers go out every Thursday night with trolleys laden with warm clothes, food and toiletries for the city's rough sleepers.

Shelley Joyce, the charity's co-founder, said: "The cold weather beats people down.

"There's tension in the air - they're frightened they might not wake up in the morning.

"It's heartbreaking."

Another West Yorkshire-based charity, Simon on the Streets, told the BBC its team will be out until at least Monday handing out socks, warm drinks and food as well as signposting people to sheltered accommodation in Bradford and Leeds.

A spokesperson for the charity said: "With homelessness rising in the region, the need for services like ourselves and others is also rising and we need to see nationwide measures taking place to ensure there are less people exposed to weather conditions like these on our streets.

"Until then, we'll continue to support anyone at risk or, or experiencing homelessness in Leeds and Bradford during this cold snap and beyond."

The council also offers community Welcome Spaces, where people can gather for free in a warm, safe place and enjoy a hot drink and some company.

A council spokesperson added that Jaden had been offered eight accommodation placements since October.

More than 70 rough sleepers in Leeds have been given emergency beds over the past week by a multi-agency support team.

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