If anyone is sleeping rough, we help them find safer, settled accommodation. We do this in many different ways.
Information, advice and support we can offer
We offer a full assessment and provide advice about different housing options that are available to rough sleepers. This could include emergency accommodation, supported housing or hostels or helping them move back to an area where they have a local connection. Depending on what they need, we may also put them in touch with other people for support. We work with a number of other organisations to provide full support for anyone rough sleeping.
No Second Night Out
This is a project that aims to make sure nobody has to spend a second night sleeping rough. We work together with other groups to make sure we can achieve this.
We do this in a number of ways:
- If someone is sleeping rough, we try to make sure they are helped off the streets immediately. We do this to keep them safe.
- We ask the general public to help us by letting us know if they think someone is sleeping rough.
- We help rough sleepers to find somewhere safe to go so we can find out what they need and find them some safer options.
- We help them find emergency accommodation and other services, such as healthcare, if they need it.
- We encourage them to reunite with their local community, unless there is a good reason why they should remain apart, for example, safety reasons.
- We aim to find them suitable accommodation within seven days of assessment.
Sometimes, the accommodation may be outside of the area, depending on their needs, local connection, support network and the availability of accommodation.
Severe weather emergency protocol
In winter during prolonged periods of severe weather (three continuous nights, or more, of a temperature of zero degrees Celsius or lower, high wind and excessive rain) overnight emergency accommodation for rough sleepers will be offered under the severe weather emergency protocol. This is to prevent loss of life or significant harm to health.
When the protocol is activated it means that the usual rules to determine access to house do not apply and services are available to everyone. This includes all those who may usually be excluded from services, such as being unable to claim most benefits, people who may have previously been banned from accessing services, and those with no local connection.
Once activated the protocol is reviewed on a daily basis until the forecast predicts two or more continuous nights where the temperature is at least one degree Celsius.
