Rough sleepers

Rough sleepers are defined as:

People sleeping, about to bed down (sitting on/in or standing next to their bedding) or actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the streets, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments). People in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as stairwells, barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations or "bashes").

Source: Evaluating the Extent of Rough Sleeping, Communities and Local Government, 2010.

The definition does not include people in hostels or shelters, people in campsites or other sites used for recreational purposes or organised protest, squatters or travellers.

Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP)

During periods of severe weather the Council contacts all known rough sleepers to offer emergency accommodation.  Partner agencies such as the Police and voluntary organisations are also notified so that they can pass on the Homelessness Service Team's contact detail to anyone they know or come across who may be affected.

Severe weather can include extreme heat, high winds and snow as well as cold weather.  The Homelessness Service Team make the decision to activate SWEP based on the risk the weather poses to the health of people rough sleeping.

Our Homelessness Service Team  check the five day forecast on the BBC website. We make a decision to implement SWEP based on the forecast.

Reporting someone sleeping rough in Cumbria

If you see someone sleeping rough in Cumbria please tell us either by ringing the homeless advice service in your area on the number listed below or via the StreetLink website:

StreetLink

Please call 999 if you think the person is in immediate danger or needs urgent care.

Please note we do not have an outreach service that can respond to reports of rough sleepers out of hours. We will always try to follow up on all reports of someone rough sleeping the next working day.

Please contact the Homelessness Service Team in your area if you are at risk of becoming homeless.