Whilst we engage with rough sleepers to find accommodation all year round. 

During winter months we will consider activating the Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP) protocol when the Met office issues;

• a red warning for severe weather including heatwaves and extreme cold. 
• an amber warning if there is a specific local conditions which would increase the risk to rough sleepers.

Extreme cold is when the Met Office has forecast that the temperature will be at zero or below for 3 consecutive nights for our area. 

Severe weather is when the Met Office issues a RED warning for our area in relation to rain, snow, wind or other extreme weather conditions. 

Additional services and in some instances, temporary accommodation, may be offered to people known to be rough sleeping who may otherwise may be excluded from services or where they have already been assessed as no duty to provide housing to. This may include rough sleepers that:

• do not have recourse to public funds
• have declined or been evicted from accommodation we have provided or offered previously
• they have already been assessed as not having a main housing duty owed to them
• they do not have a local connection to our area and have previously declined offers to be returned to area they came from

We notify local partner agencies, such as the police, mental health services and food banks when Severe Weather Provisions are being offered. Updates are also provided through Twitter and Facebook.

Please let us know about a rough sleeper via StreetLink.org.uk