Over the past week our weather here in Leicester has dropped significantly. We’ve had temperatures as low as minus four degrees, and the whole of last weekend stayed in the negatives. The health impacts of extreme cold can be extensive, and includes increased risk of blood clots, which in turn increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, the susceptibility of chest infections and breathing problems worsens, and long term effects such as declining mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. But one of the most dangerous health risks of the extreme cold is hypothermia, which can be the primary cause of severe illnesses and death.
Because of the extreme danger of the cold weather, a procedure called SWEP comes into play. But what is SWEP?
Severe Weather Emergency Protocol is a procedure put in place to lower the chances of harm or death to those who may be sleeping rough during severe weather. Although there is no legal obligation to have a SWEP policy in place, the local authorities agree on the terms of the procedure and to offer emergency accommodation as a widely accepted obligation. Therefore it is the local authorities who are responsible for announcing when SWEP is in place.
Winter Provision is also an emergency accommodation protocol. However, Winter Provision is often available throughout the winter period, whereas SWEP is a temporary response to a heightened risk that can be put into place in addition to Winter Provision. SWEP can also happen at any time of the year, due to the various definitions of ‘severe weather’ and has no restriction on the access of accommodation.
As there is no single definition of severe weather, the local authorities must agree on what can trigger SWEP. This can include high speed winds, heavy rainfall, and heatwaves, and well as extreme cold.
Accommodation provided by SWEP can include:
B&B and hotel rooms
Hostels and supported accommodation
Temporary structures
Vacant council buildings
Student accommodation
Hosting models
As SWEP is agreed upon by each individual local authority, the terms of what triggers SWEP and what is offered can differ from place to place. It is unknown what weather information source is used by Leicester Council, or what the temperature boundary is, but the average parameters used across the country are between 0 - 2 degrees celsius. This means that when the temperature hits this boundary, rough sleepers are encouraged to go to their local shelter, which if full, should then redirect to emergency accommodation. The largest homelessness shelter in Leicester is the Dawn Centre, found at 34 Conduit St, LE2 0JA.
If you’re wondering what you can do to help if you see someone sleeping rough during severe weather, use StreetLink. StreetLink is an online platform used in England and Wales, used to connect rough sleepers to support provided by local authorities and charities. It works through a three step process of Locate, Describe, and Submit, after which an alert will go out to outreach services in the area.
The Bridge will continue to be open to offer a warm space, hot meals, and shower facilities during the extreme weather. Click here to find out how you support us in continuing to stay open.
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