SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) has been activated from 30th December 2025

[THIS SWEP IS NOW DEACTIVATED]

What is SWEP?

Anyone who is currently sleeping rough in Bristol will be able to access emergency shelter from today 30th December. When SWEP is activated, we advise everyone to phone the St Mungo's Street Outreach Team on 0117 4070330 to direct them to someone sleeping rough. We also ask that you support people sleeping rough to call the team, where possible.

St Mungo's teams will be out on the street covering extra shifts during this period to offer shelter and support to anyone found rough sleeping. A reminder that StreetLink is not an emergency service and if someone is in immediate danger, call 999. 

Please share this information with colleagues and anyone else you feel is relevant. We will update again to confirm any extensions to this period and when SWEP is no longer activated.

Caring in Bristol supports the coordination of the emergency shelters which pop up as part of SWEP to protect rough sleepers from the harshest conditions.

Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, or SWEP, is a city-wide response to ensure the physical safety of people who are sleeping rough during especially cold or otherwise dangerous weather. When SWEP is in effect, people who are rough sleeping will be allocated a shared overnight space in services and accommodation across the city.