The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol has been activated by local authorities in a bid to protect those living on the streets of London from freezing conditions.  

As temperatures plummeted this weekend, reaching lows of minus six in London, outreach teams began locating those in need of shelter, placing them in emergency accommodation.  

A spokesperson for Lewisham Council said: “With temperatures dropping below freezing in recent days, the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol has been activated and we are providing emergency accommodation for rough sleepers to ensure they have somewhere warm to go.” 

Since the Mayor of London activated SWEP on Friday, Hackney Council has provided 15 rough sleepers with “safe and warm accommodation”.  

According to the charity Crisis, the number of homeless people in London has resumed “a rising trend over the past year” reaching just over 3,000. There has also been an increase in people on the streets for the first time.  

Each local authority is responsible for activating SWEP and although it is not a legal requirement, it is accepted that it is a “humanitarian obligation to provide SWEP and prevent death”. 

Last year, 13 people died of influenza or pneumonia whilst sleeping rough. In 2019, where the number of homeless people reached its height, the total was 40.  

In Lewisham, the 999 Club is a charity offering services for homeless people. Alongside those sleeping rough they also support those who are vulnerably housed, sofa surfing or living in temporary accommodation. 

Nick Rose, head of fundraising and communication said: “The nature of the challenges we face today are quite different to those we faced three years ago. While there has been no return to the mass rough sleeping that we saw in 2019, there has been a dramatic increase in the rate of repeat homelessness, with a revolving door developing between homelessness and temporary accommodation.” 

“Official figures show that there has been a 21 per cent rise in the number of people sleeping rough in London since 2021, and this is being reflected in the number of people approaching us for support. We are now seeing on average 40-50 people a day…We have also seen the demographics change since the pandemic whether from a cultural perspective or age range.” 

Croydon, Lewisham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney councils are urging anybody who is concerned about somebody sleeping rough to “use the Streetlink website or app to let us know where they are so that we can connect them with support services.” 

In the Government’s Rough Sleeper Snapshot 2021, Lewisham had the lowest number of rough sleepers of the Eastlondonlines area totalling seven, Hackney and Croydon had 11 and Tower Hamlets had more than double that with 28.