With cold weather around the corner, the annual Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) has been activated in North East Lincolnshire and will remain in place until the end of March.
The SWEP is designed to ensure that people who are sleeping rough are safe and protected during severe weather, particularly extreme cold over the winter.
When freezing temperatures are forecast for three nights running or in other severe weather circumstances, people known to the council as rough sleepers will automatically be offered a place to sleep for the night.
North East Lincolnshire Council works with partners to make sure that accommodation is made available to meet demand.
North East Lincolnshire Council’s Rough Sleeper Coordinator Liz Motley said: “Some people may not want or be able to engage with services offered to them, but we will always offer them warm clothing and blankets.
“We’ll be working with Harbour Place to continue with outreach support, visiting those still sleeping on the streets to check their welfare and ask if they require accommodation.”
North East Lincolnshire Council also works with support services to ensure those who are entitled to SWEP are receiving the support they need.
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, North East Lincolnshire Council’s Portfolio holder for Housing, Infrastructure and Transport said: “While SWEP is not a tool that could be used to permanently end homelessness, it is an important protocol to ensure that those who are rough sleeping in North East Lincolnshire are able to stay in a warm bed if they want to when weather is extreme.
“We are only able to offer SWEP to people who are rough sleeping that we are aware of, which makes it so important to alert the homeless team to any people sleeping on our streets over winter.
“You can make an alert on Streetlink.org, that will let the rough sleeper coordinator, Liz, know exactly where you have seen someone sleeping rough by using a map. You don’t have to have had any contact with the person, you simply have to fill in some basic details and their location.” If you would like more information on rough sleeping and how you can help, visit I am homeless | NELC
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