Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP)

This protocol sets out how the council makes sure vulnerable people and street homeless people in Southend-on-Sea are protected during the winter, or when severe weather is predicted.

It explains the actions of the housing solutions team when severe weather warning is triggered, activated and deactivated. The council will act quickly to make sure people sleeping rough have access to shelter. Especially if they are thought to be at risk during severe cold weather.

The council will work with partner organisations to match individuals with relevant support services during winter months.

It explains how people who are sleeping rough in Southend can be placed in accommodation and be given support, when the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is activated.

SWEP is activated when the Met Office forecasts a temperature of below zero Celsius for a minimum of three nights. Local weather conditions such as wind chill, snow and heavy rainfall will also be considered.

The SWEP arrangements are focused on preventing people who are sleeping rough from dying when there is severe weather. All people who are sleeping rough are to be provided a bed for the night. Even those who are not owed a statutory duty under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, Part VII of the Housing Act 1996, and those who have no recourse to public funds.

Objectives of the SWEP

Objectives are to:

• make sure that no one dies on the streets due to severe weather
• make sure every effort is made to match individuals with support services during the winter months
• work with individuals to end their homelessness

Who can be accommodated under SWEP?

SWEP is separate to the rules which usually apply in order to get housing. It is for anyone, including those who may have previously been excluded from services. This includes those with no recourse to public funds, people who have been banned and those who are visiting Southend. It should be based on need, not housing entitlement.

The council will work closely with outreach teams, day centres, police and community safety, and other agencies who support homeless people. This is to share information about the people who are known to be sleeping rough. There is more risk of immediate harm to those sleeping outside than those who are homeless but sleeping on a sofa in someone’s home.

Anyone found sleeping rough when SWEP is activated, must be reported to make sure they receive the right outreach support:

• Streetlink
• Southend City Council Housing Solutions Team: 01702 215000
• HARP Outreach Team: 01702 430696

Local provisions

People sleeping rough will be offered accommodation. This will usually be in a hostel, or the rapid assessment hub at HARP. If there are no available rooms, we will use a Bed and Breakfast.

Due to the Covid -19 Pandemic, the use of night shelters with communal sleeping should be avoided.

Some long-term rough sleepers may not want a bed during severe weather. If this happens, it is very important the person is told about the risks, especially if they are using substances.

If someone continues to refuse help and there is a serious risk to their health, referrals can be made to other services. This includes mental health assessments or mental capacity assessments. The outreach worker will give information to the relevant services as needed. They may also need to refer through the safeguarding process.

Activation and deactivation of the protocol

Extreme cold weather will activate SWEP, especially if the local temperature is expected to be zero degrees or below for three or more consecutive nights.

Other reasons include:

• when the temperature is just above zero for a period of time, combined with the impact of rain, snow and high winds
• high winds, because of higher risk of injury to people sleeping rough from fallen branches, roof tiles and so on
• heavy or long periods of rain, which could lead to flooding or landslides. There is extra risk to those sleeping under bridges, on riverbanks and near sand, streams and canals. There is a risk of drowning. Extreme rain can cause health problems from being wet. Plus important documents such as identification might be lost or damaged
• any other situation identified through the council’s corporate emergency planning policies, including the Southend Cold Weather Plan

The SWEP should be activated on the first night of the severe weather forecast. Met Office warnings will be sent form the emergency planning and resilience team to the housing solutions team. The rough sleeping coordinator or housing solutions team managers will also check Met Office notifications every day.

If SWEP is activated, an alert will be sent to the following by 11am:

• hostel managers
• housing solutions team staff and rough sleeping team
• HARP
• Peabody
• corporate communications team
• Ministry of Housing Communities and local Government (MHCLG)

The rough sleeper team will link in with HARP, Peabody and other outreach team workers. They can share information and discuss individuals who are known to be sleeping rough, so they get the right support.

The teams will keep each other up to date with any people attending emergency accommodation. Rough sleepers who are given a bed, will be discussed at the task and target meeting. More complex cases can be escalated to a complex need meeting. This will be determined on case-by-case basis.

Once a decision to activate SWEP is made, it will stand until the next working day’s weather forecast check. SWEP will normally be deactivated when the temperature is expected to rise above one degree Celsius. But local weather conditions are also considered.

The following people may authorise the activation or deactivation of the protocol:

• housing solutions team managers
• rough sleeping co-ordinator
• housing solution service manager
• head of housing and social inclusion
• executive director of adults, housing and health

A person sleeping rough can be highlighted to the council by:

• referring themselves to HARP, the council’s housing solutions team, rough sleeper team or through Streetlink
• any agency or service - for example, police, adult social care or the emergency planning and resilience team
• a member of the public by contacting the council, Streetlink, or a voluntary sector organisation

Every person referred will fill in a cold weather monitoring form and will be given a bed by the housing solutions team manager. The rough sleeping and housing solution team will assess each person for an HRA application. If the bed is in a Bed and Breakfast the rough sleeper coordinator will ask for authorisation from the head of housing solutions services and inclusion.

People given a bed under SWEP should try to arrive by 5pm if possible. At the hostel, the person accepting the bed should give their name and date of birth when they arrive. The accommodation must get the details of who is staying in the beds before 5pm, so staff know who to expect. Anyone whose name is not on the list will be reviewed and assessed at the time or as soon as possible, possibly the next day. They will be allowed to stay, and must give their information and follow any rules. Details will be given to the outreach worker, rough sleeper team, and housing solutions rapid assessment officer, to make sure they are aware of the person and identify next steps.

Those given a bed under SWEP can stay for a minimum of three nights, even if temperatures rise before this point. This gives the outreach worker, rough sleeper navigator, and housing solution rapid assessment officer, the time to speak with the person and find a more lasting solution.

Some rough sleepers may have dogs. We will try and help, but the council is not obliged to provide beds for rough sleepers with dogs. The council can make arrangements for the dog to be housed in kennels.

Recording, monitoring and sharing data

It is important to get information about the person sleeping rough so the council and other organisations can plan for future responses. Sharing information between services can save time in the future. The monitoring form should always be completed to gather important information and consent to share.

The FAQ document regarding consent should also be given to everyone assessed.