Phillip has been sleeping rough for two and a half years.
SHARE:
Temperatures are dropping below freezing for the first time this winter, bringing life threatening risks to London’s homeless population. In response, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has opened emergency shelters across the capital for rough sleepers.
The Mayor has activated the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, known as SWEP, and has teamed up with ‘Streetlink’ – a platform which connects rough sleepers in the capital with emergency accommodation.
However, there is concern that the system isn’t working as well as hoped. Mark Palframen, director of Hackney Doorways, a charity that runs shelters include Hackney Night Shelter, said: “It’s all very nice but it’s got to be backed up by an outreach team actually following it up.
“So it’s not working quite as well as we’d like it to. People are reporting rough sleepers and they’re not getting attended and this isn’t good enough.
“People are still out in the cold. Even though we had 10 beds to offer, they didn’t manage to all get filled.”
Staff at the Hackney Night Shelter say the Mayor’s emergency protocol isn’t working.
This comes as numbers of rough sleepers have reached a record high in London, with one in 50 now homeless in the capital.
Phillip, who has been living on the streets of London for two and a half years, says that he has not been informed of the emergency shelter.
“No one’s reached out. There’s just too may people and not enough shelters. It’s very difficult, especially with the rain, you try to keep dry – it’s important to keep dry, you can get very ill if you sleep out and get wet.”
Mr Palframen is calling for more resources and funding to help ensure more rough sleepers can be helped by the scheme the next time the protocol is activated.
Submitted Article
Headline
Short Headline
Standfirst
Published Article
HeadlineSadiq Khan opens emergency shelter for London’s homeless as temperatures plunge
Short HeadlineEmergency shelters open for rough sleepers amidst freezing temperatures
StandfirstLondon Mayor Sadiq Khan has activated the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol to protect homeless Londoners
Temperatures are dropping below freezing for the first time this winter, bringing life threatening risks to London’s homeless population. In response, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has opened emergency shelters across the capital for rough sleepers.
The Mayor has activated the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, known as SWEP, and has teamed up with ‘Streetlink’ – a platform which connects rough sleepers in the capital with emergency accommodation.
However, there is concern that the system isn’t working as well as hoped. Mark Palframen, director of Hackney Doorways, a charity that runs shelters include Hackney Night Shelter, said: “It’s all very nice but it’s got to be backed up by an outreach team actually following it up.
“So it’s not working quite as well as we’d like it to. People are reporting rough sleepers and they’re not getting attended and this isn’t good enough.
“People are still out in the cold. Even though we had 10 beds to offer, they didn’t manage to all get filled.”
Staff at the Hackney Night Shelter say the Mayor’s emergency protocol isn’t working.
This comes as numbers of rough sleepers have reached a record high in London, with one in 50 now homeless in the capital.
Phillip, who has been living on the streets of London for two and a half years, says that he has not been informed of the emergency shelter.
“No one’s reached out. There’s just too may people and not enough shelters. It’s very difficult, especially with the rain, you try to keep dry – it’s important to keep dry, you can get very ill if you sleep out and get wet.”
Mr Palframen is calling for more resources and funding to help ensure more rough sleepers can be helped by the scheme the next time the protocol is activated.
