7th December, 2022
London is presently experiencing extremely cold weather and temperatures are forecast to fall below 0°C tonight, a local newspaper has reported.
It said the Mayor of London has activated an emergency protocol for the first time this winter to protect homeless people.
The activation of the all-London Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) means councils across London will open additional emergency accommodations for rough sleepers.
This, according to the news medium, is aimed at saving lives as the cold weather could be fatal for those on the streets.
“It means no one will be asked to leave accommodation until a support plan is in place to end their rough sleeping, regardless of an increase in temperature.
“It comes as temperatures across London will dip to lows of -3°C overnight tomorrow (Thursday, December 8), with daytime temperatures just 1°C on Sunday, December 11. SWEP will likely end once temperatures rise above freezing, MyLondon understands”, the publication informed.
The concern is majorly for the homeless persons as a significant population is said to be sleeping on streets in London due to the rising cost of accommodation among other factors.
According to the online publication, the latest quarterly figures from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) show the number of people sleeping rough in London has jumped 24 per cent in the past year, meaning more than 3,600 people slept on the capital’s streets between June and September.
“City Hall says the mayor’s rough sleeping services are helping ‘more people than ever before, with more than 13,500 rough sleepers supported off the streets since 2016”, reported MyLondon.