Community Warm Spaces Rise Across UK Amid Energy Crisis
Warm spaces have become increasingly common across the UK since 2022, as communities respond to the ongoing energy crisis. The Warm Welcome Campaign reports that the number of warm hubs rose from just over 4,000 in winter 2022-23 to nearly 6,000 in 2025-26.
One such space is the Walworth Living Room in Southwark, which is registered with the local authority and is one of 50 warm spaces available in the borough this winter. Run by Pembroke House, it offers activities, food, and social space three days a week. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on these spaces by fostering a stronger neighbourhood.
Attendees include people like Fatma Mustafa, aged 48, who is on universal credit and relies on the space to help cut energy and grocery costs, especially as she uses a pay-as-you-go energy meter. Nazma Khanom, 52, who has been diagnosed with cancer, relies on the space for social support and practical help following job loss and prior use of a food bank. Elderly residents like Margaret Regan, 81, visit primarily for companionship and social interaction.
The wider context reflects significant hardship, with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation cost-of-living tracker revealing that 58% of households in the bottom 40% income bracket cut back on heating and 51% cut spending on food during winter 2025-26.
David Barclay of the Warm Welcome Campaign emphasizes that while warm spaces provide crucial support, they are stopgap measures and cannot solve systemic poverty. Their true purpose is to foster belonging, purpose, and connection among community members, while influencing policy change.
