Rough sleepers offered emergency shelter as -10C temperatures, snow and heavy rain hit UK
4 January 2025, 14:20
Rough sleepers have been offered emergency shelter as freezing temperatures descend on the UK.
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Councils across England, Scotland and Wales have activated the severe weather emergency protocol as -10C temperatures, snow and rain batter the UK over the weekend.
These measures are usually activated when the mercury falls below 0C to help prevent rough sleepers facing the worst of the cold weather.
Two Met Office amber warnings cover large parts of the UK cross the weekend, with snow fall of up to 40cm expected in higher areas.
Power cuts are expected across the country, with stranded vehicles, train and air delays also likely.
Rural communities risk being “cut off” due to extreme weather with up to 30cm of snowfall expected in some areas, the Met Office warned.
Freezing rain, which occurs when rain instantly freezes upon hitting the ground, could cause "treacherous conditions in places" as temperatures plummet to -10C.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “We know, as the temperature drops, things become even more difficult for those on the streets, and councils will be considering whether to activate their severe weather emergency protocol.
“We are also providing £1bn funding for homelessness over the next year, including the largest ever investment in preventive services, to support councils to get more rough sleepers off the street and stop people sleeping rough in the first place,” the spokesperson said.
An amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester, is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday, the Met Office said.
The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, has been issued from 9pm on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.
Both of the warning areas can expect to see 3cm to 7cm of snowfall widely, while snow may mix with rain at times in lower-lying areas, the forecaster said.
Three less severe warnings are in place across much of England and Wales for the majority of the weekend up until Monday afternoon.
The Met Office added fresh warnings for Eastern Scotland on Saturday morning, lasting from 09:00 on Sunday until 06:00 on Monday and covering an area from Inverness down to Dundee and Edinburgh.
