Mayor opens emergency shelters across London as temperatures hit zero

For the first time this winter, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is opening emergency cold weather shelters across the capital, as temperatures are set to hit zero or below in a number of London boroughs tonight.

Sadiq has agreed with London councils that from this year, severe weather shelters will now open London-wide if the temperature is predicted to drop below zero anywhere in the capital. Previously, shelters were opened on a borough-by-borough basis, leading to patchy provision.

The Mayor has also worked with boroughs to sign up to the ‘In For Good’ principle - a promise that, when a rough sleeper goes to an emergency shelter, they will be accommodated there until a support plan is put in place to help them off the streets for good.

Last month, Sadiq launched his rough sleeping campaign fundraising for the London Homeless Charities Group, a coalition of charities working to tackle rough sleeping, and rolled out new TAP London contactless donation points across the capital.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “As the temperatures plummet tonight, all emergency shelters across London will be open. Our approach means shelters will now open London-wide if it falls below zero anywhere in the capital, helping us get more rough sleepers off the streets and into support to help turn their lives around. I urge Londoners to refer any rough sleepers they see to StreetLink, and to donate – via our new TAP London contactless donation points or online - to charities providing extra services to tackle and prevent rough sleeping.”