Surviving heat on the streets: an assessment of the psychosocial impacts of extreme heat on homeless persons

This report presents the findings of a study conducted between June and August 2025 with homeless persons in Delhi to examine the psychosocial impacts of extreme heat. It foregrounds the voices of those living without a home and highlights how rising temperatures influence their living conditions and mental well-being.

The results of the report emphasise the intricate, yet often complex link between homelessness, climate change and mental health. The high levels of mental distress reported by the respondents due to the lack of adequate water and sanitation, food insecurity, livelihood challenges, housing insecurity, physical health risks, and sleep deprivation, show the necessity of understanding how these factors shape not only their ability to cope with extreme heat, but also their impact on mental health. By highlighting these experiences, the report calls for greater consideration of the challenges homeless persons face, by civil society organizations, policy makers, and the government, to implement appropriate measures to alleviate them.