Free emergency beds are now available for rough sleepers as freezing nights hit southern England.
Many local councils have activated the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP). This provides free emergency accommodation to anyone in need. SWEP is used when temperatures fall below zero for at least three nights in a row. Some areas may see lows of -6C on Saturday morning.
Ellie Alway-Thomas, senior service manager at St Mungo’s in Oxford and Reading, said: “Sleeping on the streets in freezing weather increases the risk of serious health problems and can be life-threatening.”
Emergency shelters are open to everyone. This includes people who cannot claim benefits, have no housing rights in the UK, or have been refused support in the past.
