Council and partners to provide crucial support to vulnerable individuals this winter

19 November 2024

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is launching its comprehensive Winter Provision Service and Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) to provide vital support for people experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping and other vulnerable individuals this winter.

The service, developed in partnership with local charities Northampton Hope Centre and The Salvation Army, will provide crucial support to the most vulnerable residents from November to March 2025, ensuring they have access to shelter, warmth, and essential services.

This will include implementing a temporary nightly shelter when SWEP is activated and temperatures reach zero°C and below, providing verified rough sleepers with a safe place to sleep as well as access to housing advice and wrap around support. In addition, a winter shelter will be run by Northampton Hope Centre during January and February, to provide verified rough sleepers with a safe place to sleep during the worst period of winter.

In addition, expanded day centre services will be available at the Northampton Hope Centre offering hot meals, health check-ups, and access to housing support services seven days a week. The programme will also provide holistic services including mental health support, debt advice, and substance misuse counselling to help individuals transition towards long-term housing solutions.

"We are deeply committed to ensuring no one in our community is left out in the cold. This Winter Provision Service is a testament to what we can achieve when we come together for a common cause and not only provides a safe space for those in need, but also integrates services to address a range of challenges, from healthcare to long-term housing assistance.

"We are incredibly grateful to our partners Northampton Hope Centre and The Salvation Army for their continued collaboration and support to help keep our communities safe.”

Cllr Rosie Herring, Cabinet Member for Housing at WNC

SWEP is usually activated when the temperature is forecasted to drop below 0°C for three nights in a row or during extreme weather conditions such as heavy snowfall or storms. WNC’s outreach teams will be deployed to identify and assist individuals at risk, ensuring they are aware of the overnight accommodation and available services.

“We are pleased to be able to support West Northamptonshire Council’s SWEP and winter provision this year and will be working with them to ensure the vulnerable and those at greatest risk are safe during cold weather. We will be open for extended hours, 7 days a week to provide support as quickly as possible to those that need it.

"We are also pleased to be offering a night shelter service again this year, open for 7 weeks during January and February, making sure that we can keep the most vulnerable safe during the coldest winter nights. Winter poses significant high health risks for the street homeless and working in collaboration with West Northamptonshire Council and other charitable organisations, we are confident that this work will save lives this winter.”

Alex Copeland, Northampton Hope Centre CEO,

“We are delighted to further extend our support to some of the most vulnerable people in Northampton at this most difficult and challenging time of year. We’re able to offer our building as an emergency night shelter during the freezing temperatures, a place where people will also be able to access holistic support from the team at West Northamptonshire

Council. I would encourage the public to look out for those who are less fortunate on the streets and urge them to get in touch with the local council or Streetlink for emergency shelter and other support.”

Captain Tim Stone, Commanding Officer at Northampton Salvation Army

To find out more about support available for people sleeping rough in very cold or extreme weather, please visit our housing advice and support page. If you are concerned about someone who maybe sleeping rough, or are sleeping rough yourself, you can let us know by using Street Link. This is a national service that informs local authorities about people sleeping rough in their area and helps to connect people to local services and support. You can also email the Council’s Outreach Team. If you use What Three Words, you can email the location this gives you to let us know where we might find someone.