Sleep Pod and Shelterbag (comfortable sleeping options for homeless people)

Rough sleepers find it difficult to drag around heavy coats and blankets, especially when wet. Fortunately there are a couple of really good inventions that let homeless people stay warm and dry, until they find stable homes.

Sleep Pod (a rain-wind resistant sleeping bag)

Sleep Pod is a £30 rain/wind-resistant ‘sleeping tent’ that is lightweight and easy to carry. It’s also easy to make, by teams of volunteers.

Some prison inmates are now making these, to provide meaningful work. Over 15,000 built and distributed already.

You can donate on the website to help pay for materials, for volunteers to build more sleep pods.

Shelterbag (a survival bag with tented hood)

Shelterbag is a high performance survival bag, with a large tented hood to provide full protection from the elements. It is waterproof, heavily insulated, and has a built-in mattress. It is also light, and is carried either over one shoulder or as a 2-strap backpack.

And crucially it sells for just £100, an ideal purchase for small homeless charities. Organisations can repurpose black canvas graphics.

You can donate to buy someone a Shelterbag at the website. £100 protects one person, a company donating £20K protects 200 people from the elements. You can also donate a Shelterbag in memory of a loved one.

How to help homeless people on the street

If you see someone sleeping rough, send a report to StreetLink, whose outreach teams visit rough sleepers at night. To help homeless people find benefits and accommodation (if the person is under 18, call 999).

How homeless people can help themselves

Homeless people can claim benefits, giving the address of a family member/friend, hostel or job centre. This helps to pay for food (and pet food), interview clothes and rent deposits.

People without bank accounts can use the government’s Payment Exception Service to collect benefits from a local post office or PayPoint outlet.

How to help homeless people with dogs

One great way to help is to have local shops use BillyChip, a token that can be given to homeless people, to pay for hot drinks or pets food. This complies with council advice not to give money, and helps also to prevent robbery.

Read more on how to help dogs with homeless people.