Single rooms were opened for anyone who wants to come inside from tonight until Monday morning. They are made available on every night the Met Office forecasts freezing overnight temperatures. It is likely that they will remain open until Thursday as the forecast shows sub-zero overnight temperatures, however, the council will review the situation on Monday. In previous years SWEP was provided in shared spaces but the need to keep people safe during the pandemic means they are now offered their own room for the night. Councillor Mike Rowley, cabinet member for affordable housing and housing the homeless, said: We are activating SWEP for the third weekend running and offering emergency shelter for anyone experiencing rough sleeping who wants to come inside.
Hundreds of households in Oxford made homeless during pandemic MORE than 200 households in Oxford have been made homeless during the first six months of the Covid-19 crisis despite round-the-clock pledges from the Government to protect people. A total of 325 families applied to Oxford City Council for homelessness support from April to September last year, a period which includes the peak months of the pandemic. Of these, 208 were already homeless, and a further 112 were deemed at severe risk of homelessness. The shocking figures shared by the tenants union Acorn Oxford shine a light on the failure of the Government to protect tenants .
It has been providing winter beds since December 23 – the longest continuous period ever. Working with charities St Mungo’s, Aspire and Homeless Oxfordshire the council has made 25 rooms at three venues available with the possibility of more if the need arises. Single rooms rather than shared spaces are on offer during the pandemic. Paul Roberts, CEO of Aspire, said: We have already run our shelter in the rapidly refurbished central Oxford accommodation for 15 consecutive nights and it is going well. It has been a privilege to provide relief, dignity and a safe warm space to people experiencing rough sleeping.” Under the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) rooms are on offer every night the Met Office forecasts freezing temperatures. The current forecast is for freezing temperatures every night until Sunday with a ‘feels like’ sub zero temperature on Sunday night.