Hartlepool weather: How Hartlepool's Severe Weather Emergency Protocol can help the town's homeless this winter

Like other local authorities across England, Hartlepool Borough Council has a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) in place during the winter months to support and protect people considered homeless from life-threatening weather conditions, providing emergency accommodation.

According to the charity Homeless Link, there is no single definition of severe weather. Instead, this covers any conditions that increase the harm to those sleeping rough – including severe cold, rain, snow, wind and even heat.

A council spokesperson said: “Although there is no strict definition of what counts as 'severe weather', SWEP will normally operate when the temperature falls below freezing and is forecast to remain below freezing for a period of at least three consecutive nights – we are currently operating the SWEP in Hartlepool.”

Councils and their partners in various areas of the country have worked together for years to provide emergency accommodation during periods of extreme weather. Though there is no statutory obligation to do this – unless a person is considered homeless and in priority need of assistance – there is a humanitarian obligation for authorities to prevent deaths and serious harm on the streets, Homeless Link added.

How to help in Hartlepool

If you are concerned about someone who’s homeless or sleeping rough in the Hartlepool local authority area, contact the council on 01429 266522, Streetlink on 0300 500 0914 or use the use the Streetlink app online here.

An alert sent to Streetlink – which can be used to raise a concern about someone aged 18 or over - will be shared with the relevant local authority so they can try and find them.

When contact Hartlepool Borough Council, please also provide the following information to enable the homelessness service to make contact with the person and offer them support:

*A specific location for the rough sleeping site

*Details of the time that the rough sleeper has been seen at the location

*Any information about the rough sleeper that will help the council find them (gender, approximate age, what the person looks like, what they are wearing)

Anyone facing homelessness themselves can contact Hartlepool Borough Council’s Housing Advice and Homelessness service at the Civic Centre.