Emergency severe weather plan activated for first time in 2025 as Mayor and councils protect homeless Londoners

• The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is activated when temperatures fall to 0°C and ensures additional emergency accommodation is open for people sleeping rough
• The Mayor works in partnership with London Councils on SWEP, which has been active for three nights so far this winter
• Around 17,600 people have been helped off the capital’s streets through the Mayor’s services alone since he took office, with 75 per cent staying off the streets for good
• Mayor has committed £300,000 of funding for Crisis and St Mungo’s to extend accommodation for rough sleepers throughout January 2025

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan and London Councils have activated the pan-London Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) for the first time this year to protect homeless people, with temperatures forecast to fall to 0°C.  

Today, 2nd January is the first SWEP activation of the year and means councils across London, alongside homelessness charities, will open additional emergency accommodation for people sleeping rough in freezing conditions that could pose a threat to life.

The joined-up approach from the Mayor and London Councils has strengthened support for homeless people in the capital, with all boroughs across the city committed to the Mayor's 'In for Good' principle, which ensures no one is asked to leave accommodation until a support plan is in place to end their rough sleeping, regardless of an increase in temperature.

Sadiq also funds a pan-London 'overflow' SWEP service which helps to ensure that there are SWEP spaces available for everyone sleeping rough in the capital. SWEP has been active for three nights so far this winter, and was active for 16 nights in winter 2023/24.

The latest stats show rough sleeping in London has increased by 18 per cent when compared with the summer of 2023 [1]. It has also increased across the country due to previous cuts to key services caused by underfunding from the last government, and a national slowdown in housebuilding.

As one of numerous interventions to tackle the capital’s worsening rough sleeping crisis, the Mayor announced last month £300,000 funding to homelessness charities Crisis and St Mungo’s, supporting them to extend accommodation at one of their Christmas hotels for an extra two weeks to the end of January. These hotels provide vital shelter and one-to-one support to help people leave the streets behind for good. 

The announcement followed the Mayor’s inaugural mixed charity football match in December between cross-party politicians and journalists, held in partnership with the Chelsea Foundation. The ‘London vs Homelessness’ match took place at Kingsmeadow, the home of Chelsea FC Women, with all players pledging to do a volunteer shift for Crisis as part Sadiq’s commitment to kick rough sleeping out of the capital by 2030.

In addition, the Mayor is urging Londoners to donate to his annual winter rough sleeping campaign, by donating at contactless TAP London points across the capital or online [2]. Londoners can also support the campaign by flagging rough sleepers to support services through StreetLink. [3]

Since taking office in 2016, Sadiq has quadrupled funding to tackle rough sleeping and helped 17,600 people off the streets, 75 per cent of which have stayed off the streets for good. The Mayor's rough sleeping campaign has also raised more than £700,000.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “With temperatures dropping below zero across London, I have activated my Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) in partnership with London Councils for the first time in 2025 to ensure anyone seen sleeping rough in freezing conditions is offered emergency accommodation and support to stay off the streets for good. Londoners can ensure anyone they see sleeping rough gets the help they need by contacting StreetLink.

“I am committed to ending rough sleeping by 2030, and providing support to get people off the streets. Helping them to start rebuilding their lives is at the centre of our plan, as we work together to build a safer, fairer London for everyone.”

Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration, said: “Rough sleeping is particularly dangerous during periods of severe weather.

“Boroughs are working hard to prepare emergency accommodation and to bring people off the streets. Alongside the Mayor and our voluntary sector partners, we will do all we can to keep them safe and supported.”

Matt Downie, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “Access to emergency accommodation in severe weather saves lives. Rough sleeping is extremely dangerous all year round – and a night spent in freezing temperatures can be deadly.

“This Christmas we are hugely grateful for the support of the Greater London Authority and UK government to extend our hotel accommodation into January for people forced to sleep rough. During their stay, guests will continue to receive tailored support from a caseworker to help them out of homelessness for good.

“Over the next few months, we look forward to working with mayors and government ministers to build a long-term plan to end homelessness. With rough sleeping and homelessness at record levels, we must renew efforts to build the social homes we need and invest enough in support and prevention services to tackle this crisis.”

James Lally, St Mungo’s Services Director, said “Access to a safe and warm place to live is vital for those experiencing homelessness all year round –  and during freezing cold weather, emergency accommodation saves lives. 

"With SWEP now activated in many parts of the country, including across London, St Mungo’s frontline teams are prepared to respond to this critical situation, and continue to work tirelessly around the clock to make sure that as many people as possible can be brought out of the cold and into safety.  

"Anyone who is concerned about a person who is street homeless should contact StreetLink. And, as ever, if someone is in an emergency situation people should call 999.”

The Mayor’s plan of action, due to be launched this year, will establish a shared mission for ending rough sleeping by 2030, including the scale of funding required and the best mechanisms for achieving this ambition.