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Cold weather
This page briefly outlines the impact of cold weather, the issues that it can cause for rough sleepers and how outreach workers can support those who wish to come indoors.
Background
Cold weather is very uncomfortable and is a threat to health; this is especially so for rough sleepers who consistently spend long lengths of time outdoors. Periods of extreme cold are the most important time to encourage rough sleepers indoors and often these conditions make rough sleepers more likely to engage with services.
Although cold temperature itself is uncomfortable, the addition of wind chill (where temperatures are significantly reduced through the effects of high wind speeds) can significantly increase the likelihood of damage to health and even death. The physical problems caused by the cold should be considered both in terms of the health of the rough sleepers and for that of street outreach staff. Warm clothing and, where possible, regular breaks from the outside cold, are crucial.
Some of the physical impacts of the cold include
- hypothermia
- frostbite
- colds
- flu
- bronchitis
- irritation of other conditions (e.g. arthritis)
Cold weather resources
The 2005 London Housing Foundation Give me shelter report highlights the role of winter shelters in London and why people are accessing them. The report found that the client group can be very different from that accessing rough sleeper services – including in terms of ethnicity. It also highlighted a significant number of those accessing the cold weather shelters were the more hidden rough sleepers (e.g. on buses or sleeping in secluded areas).
The Homeless Link 2008 cold weather snapshot survey found that it was likely that shelters were supporting those with lower levels of needs. Many of these rough sleepers were relatively new to the streets rather than entrenched rough sleepers.
Severe cold
Severe Weather Emergency Provisions (SWEP)
Severe Weather Emergency Provisions take place to protect the most vulnerable, who are sleeping rough on the streets, from extreme cold. CLG guidelines suggest that provision for severe weather should be triggered by a weather forecast predicting three or more consecutive nights of a minimum temperature of zero degrees or lower. See the CLG letter to local authorities for more details on CLG guidelines and the good practice guidelines (also below).
The primary aim of SWEP is to stop the loss of life with an important second aim of using the best opportunities to access the long term and engaged rough sleeper who would normally resist service intervention. SWEP plans for extreme conditions should also include support for people with no recourse to public funds (e.g. EU10 nationals).
CLG suggested good practice working for local authorities includes
- brokering emergency places with local hostels
- encouraging flexible hostel working to minimise evictions and maximise referrals during the cold period
- negotiating with day centres to stay open at night if required
- identifying any other suitable accommodation that might be used as a nightshelter
- publicising contact phone numbers which the public can use to inform where rough sleepers are
- partnership agreements with neighbouring boroughs (e.g. nightstop arrangements)
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention website gives details of the effects of the cold and personal health and safety at these times.
Checklist
Checklist for services that will engage during cold weather conditions
Do outreach services have good partnership working arrangements with winter shelters? Do frontline staff have details of these shelters?
Are outreach services aware of the SWEP procedures in their area? Is there a list of available services that support rough sleepers during these times?
Do frontline staff have training to work in the cold and to spot any major health concerns of clients? (e.g. hypothermia)
Are there partnership agreements with local health care providers to get easier access to GPs at these times?
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