Support for rough sleepers

SWEP Status: Active until 30th June

The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is a humanitarian response activated during extreme weather to protect people sleeping rough.

It’s typically triggered when temperatures drop to around 0°C or below, or during other life-threatening weather conditions like storms and extreme heat.

When SWEP is activated, local authorities and charities open emergency accommodation—often without the usual restrictions—so that anyone at risk can come indoors.

In hot weather

Please follow the advice of the MetOffice:

• Keep in the shade
• Stay hydrated – bottles of water are given out on the streets
• Reduce alcohol intake
• Stay indoors as much as possible

Daytime provision

The following walk-in places are available Monday to Friday:

• The Arc 8am–1pm
• Under 1 Roof 9am–2pm
• VAS 9am–5pm
• St Stephens Church 10am–3pm
• Doorways drop-in service 12pm–3pm
• MAP 1:30pm–5pm

Additional outreach support

During this period, support available for rough sleepers also includes:

• Up to 4 hours of additional health-focused Outreach each day between 10am-2pm on Thursday and Friday by the council's rough sleeper team with SMHT Pathways, Doorways, Vulnerable Adults Service (VAS), Shelter, NSFT and CGL 
• Provisions available to anyone on the streets including: hats, suncream, sugary snack, water and empty water bottles (handed out in packs)
• Dog bowls and water
• Extended drop-in hours
• Information on how to access cold water to refill bottles.
• Clothing vouchers to purchase lighter clothing
• Home Office Accommodation has confirmed they will not evict anybody during this period. 

Activating SWEP

We decide whether to activate or extend SWEP for a particular night or period by 11am on any day when it looks like SWEP needs to open and notify housing providers delivering emergency beds of our decision.

A combination of agency staff and staff in existing settings is used to manage SWEP. Staff in local homelessness organisations step up from their regular duties to deal with emergency conditions – this is on top of their day jobs.

During the day, Norwich City Council outreach team and other local agencies work to ensure that everyone who may need to access SWEP are aware that a provision will be made available and that they understand how they can access this service. Norwich City Council will allocate SWEP spaces to people and notify them where and when they need to go that night.

For further information regarding SWEP activation please refer to the protocol linked here

Accessing SWEP

Norwich City Council engages intensively and on a daily basis with people experiencing rough sleeping in Norwich. This is a service that is provided all year around.

Norwich City Council will allocate SWEP accommodation to people during the day, giving them a named venue and telling them where and when they need to arrive.

We believe that there are sufficient beds within the existing hostel system to meet potential demand. However, when SWEP is activated there will be additional provision to increase this capacity. 

Safeguarding

Norwich City Council will allocate SWEP rooms to people in the most appropriate venue, where they have been verified and their needs and behaviours are known.

While everyone is offered a SWEP space, not everyone will accept this and - as a last resort - there are limited circumstances in which a SWEP provider may refuse access to a venue. 

People may be refused access to a SWEP venue if:

• they present outside hours.
• they do not turn up at the designated venue they have been assigned to
• on arrival at a venue, it appears that they present or may present a serious risk to others.

Dogs at SWEP venues

Some hostels and SWEP venues are suitable for people with dogs. However, we cannot guarantee availability, Norwich City Council can also arrange kennels if necessary. Kennels must be arranged in advance and are not available on the night.

SWEP Timeline

This table sets out what happens and who is responsible for this when SWEP beds are activated.

Timeline for SWEP emergency beds