SWEP has been activated
The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) gets activated when temperatures are forecast to fall to zero degrees or below, for three consecutive nights. Or where there is particular adverse weather.
SWEP has been extended and will be reviewed again on Monday 4 December.
SWEP is an additional ‘safety net’ for those in danger of rough sleeping.
Our Rough Sleeping Initiative team, homelessness partners and street outreach groups operate throughout the year, assisting many at risk of sleeping rough. This includes facilitating access to emergency accommodation and support with addressing poor health and substance misuse. SWEP provides quicker access to an emergency bed while we continue to work with individuals.
Out of hours/weekend – Emergency Duty Service 01484 414933
OR
Weekdays between 9 and 5pm – Housing Solutions Service – 01484 221350
Useful to know…
– SWEP has the potential to change a life. Everyone who is given a bed through SWEP recieves a visit by a housing officer the next morning. This is to talk them through their options and discuss how they can get longer term help. – Some people just are not ready. If people are not ready to accept the help through SWEP our partners at the mission and the welcome centre both offer somewhere they can go and get warm and have a chat.
– We allow pets wherever possible – although there are a small number of places we work with where pets can’t go. In all cases, we take this into consideration when we allocate emergency accommodation.
– We’re committed to helping people permanently get off the streets. Our colleagues in housing solutions work all year to support people at risk of becoming homeless or who are already rough sleeping. We provide support and emergency accommodation for eligible people who finds themselves homeless.
– You can help the homeless at any time. If you see a homeless person or someone who looks to be sleeping rough you can let the relevant people know where they are, and when you saw them through Street Link. The app alerts the council’s housing solutions team and their partner organisation who can go and check what, if any, help the person needs.