Councils Trigger Emergency Support For Rough Sleepers Amid Heatwave
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Councils across London have activated emergency procedures to help rough sleepers as the capital swelters through a heatwave during the coronavirus pandemic.
The action comes amid warnings from homelessness charities that Covid-19 has made the extremely hot weather even more dangerous than usual to those without shelter.
With temperatures soaring as high as 33C in London, a number of local authorities have initiated their Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) – a series of procedures commonly rolled out in the winter amid freezing conditions.
But with the mercury soaring amid a six-day-long heatwave, councils said they had offered emergency accommodation to those needing respite from the heat, with some also opening up buildings to allow rough sleepers to escape the sun during the day.
Outreach teams have also been offering homeless people water, energy drinks, food and suncream, as well as access to toilet and shower facilities.
Among the councils which told HuffPost UK they were offering rough sleepers extra support during the heatwave were Hackney, Ealing, Lewisham, Newham and Westminster.
Heather Action, a Westminster City councillor, warned that hot weather “can be just as dangerous as the cold” for people living on the streets.
On social media, councillors from Haringey Council and Islington Council also shared details of the local authorities’ SWEP protocols.
In Haringey summer SWEP has been activated all week. we have been providing water, suncream and a shady place to rest at Red House and Green Rooms for people who are still sleeping out. Outreach carry these items on rounds in the mornings and tell people where they can go. https://t.co/gHcU0U2X7s
— Emina Ibrahim (@Emina_ibrahim) August 10, 2020
Laura Shovlin, from the homelessness charity St Mungo’s, said that outreach services were vital during extremely high...
