Night Shelter Briefing Structure · Night Shelter Advice There is no formal advice published by government, but LAs have been advised that “dormitory style” night shelters are

Night Shelter Briefing Structure

Where we are today and rough sleeping moving forward

Outline of current public health position on night shelters

Practical advice for what night shelters can be doing now to prepare

COVID 19 – Night Shelter response time line

21

Main Decent begins21st March 2020

20

Virus Peak

23

Lockdown

begins

PM Statement

23rd March 2020

Main Decant complete All WNS projects

now empty

1st April 2020

01

07

12 week

hotel

bookings end

07

Furlough scheme over, PRS evictions begin / uptick Short Description

Q3 2020

Shelter season

begins

Shelter

season ends

11

20

Virus Peak 15

Official

recession

begins

01

Winter flu season beginsHistorically week 40

Shelter bed

peak

01

Winter flu peakHistorically week 03-04

Likely second wave

range

Christmas bed dip

March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

20202021

Phased “unlock measures begin”11 May 2020

COVID-19 Transmission rates night shelters (USA examples)

Where we are today and rough sleeping moving

forward

Up to 15,000 people were provided emergency accommodation in England,

around 6,000 with recent history of rough sleeping.

HJ estimates at least 1,000 winter night shelter guests were moved into hotels

during March.

With the overwhelming majority of people in winter night shelters now in

statutory provided accommodation, many of the issues night shelters have

grappled with for some time are the same issues being tackled in hotels and

emergency accommodation, particularly around immigration status and NRPF.

Nationality among night shelter guests (London)

Rough Sleeping in the months ahead Current numbers of people on the street are lower than this time last year, but

anecdotal evidence indicates that people are coming on to the street in recent

weeks as the lockdown eases

As the economic impacts of COVID hit the real economy, and state support such

as furlough and PRS evictions ban are withdrawn, presentations at LA homeless

departments will increase (see timeline), with the obvious potential for there to

be an increase in rough sleeping.

There is no consensus among policy makers about what rough sleeping

numbers will be in the autumn / winter 2020/21. Need and response could look

very different in different areas.

Night Shelter Advice

There is no formal advice published by government, but LAs have been advised

that “dormitory style” night shelters are not safe at the current time.

HJ / Homeless Link have been working with PHE and others on an action plan

for shelters to get projects ready for re-opening where this is possible.

Clinical input is now being received to the action plan, but we have no firm date

on when or if this will be published.

What are the health concerns about re-opening shelters?

1. Ventilation: Communal indoor airspace presents the main transmission risk -

social distancing doesn’t overcome this.

2. Bathroom ratios: Infection risk increases considerably the more people who

share a bathroom.

3. Guest contacts: Keeping information on guests to enable contact tracing (there

being implications for referrals etc).

4. Social distancing (SD): SD inside shelters will be necessary as in other walks of

life (shops, public transport etc). This will significantly impact bed numbers.

5. Use of multiple buildings: This has a big impact on the number of contacts,

particularly over the course of a week, between shelter users, staff, volunteers.

Known Knowns

Seven night roaming / rotating night shelters seem impossible from a public

health perspective at this stage.

Concerns over social distancing will mean we will all have to make revisions to

how these projects operate, meaning less beds.

Even in the best case scenario it will not be possible to completely eliminate the

risk of infection in a night shelter and it may be possible that even where

projects are able to run in different settings, there may still be issues.

What can night shelter projects do now?

1. Engage with your LA now - speak to the local authority rough sleeper lead to

find out local authority plans and have a discussion about your project.

2. Plan for different scenarios - e.g. not being able to run the night shelter,

having to run it in an alternative building, having a reduced number of beds.

3. Explore locally other alternatives - e.g. shared houses, static venues,

appropriate buildings, hosting, mentoring and befriending.

4. Think about time and money required for the changes - e.g. planning lead in

times, fundraising asks etc.

5. Have strategic discussions now about what your response - e.g. trustee

meetings.

How can HJ help?

We will facilitate discussions with LAs, just ask.

Publish best practice examples of new models of supporting people

experiencing homelessness.

Host a series of local events and thematic workshops on alternatives, emerging

best practice (e.g. shared houses, alternative venues, mentoring and

befriending, hosting etc).

Feedback your concerns / issues to influence decision making / advice.

Use this form on our website.

List of recent central government announcementsDate Topic Link

23rd June 2020 Announcement of additional £85m for emergency accommodation and re-allocation of existing £20m

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/105-million-to-keep-rough-sleepers-safe-and-off-the-streets-during-coronavirus-pandemic

7th June 2020 List of successful grants to the Homeless Link administered central government grant for Homeless Charities

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/charities-to-benefit-from-support-for-rough-sleepers-during-pandemic

26th May 2020 Dame Louise Casey call for faith and community partners to be part of the Everybody In solution

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dame-louise-casey-calls-on-community-partners-to-help-with-covid-19-rough-sleeping-crisis

23rd May 2020 Funding for homes for rough sleepers https://www.gov.uk/government/news/6-000-new-supported-homes-as-part-of-landmark-commitment-to-end-rough-sleeping

Other useful info

Topic Description Link

Local Public Health Teams

Your local Public Health team is part of the council, if you can't find their details via the council website then contact the regional Public Heath team:

www.gov.uk/guidance/contacts-phe-regions-and-local-centres

Heatwaveadvice for supporting people sleeping rough

Blog from Homeless Link about support for people experiencing homelessness during the summer heatwave

https://www.homeless.org.uk/connect/blogs/2020/jun/23/hot-weather-and-homelessness-%E2%80%93-preventing-deaths-in-summer

Area Link

Boston, USA https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.6887

Chicago, USA https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/5/21/21266311/covid-19-outbreak-homeless-shelter-raises-concerns-some-staying-there

Seattle, USA https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6917e2.htm

Toronto, Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ-HjC_aHyQ https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/covid-19-spreads-in-homeless-shelter-who-seeks-funds-in-the-news-for-april-25

San Francisco, USA

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/04/19/coronavirus-update-san-francisco-homeless-shelter-outbreak-grows-to-over-100-confirmed-cases/

Background info: Infection rates among rough sleepers in North America

Area Link

Philadelphia , USA

https://www.inquirer.com/news/covid-outbreak-death-philadelphia-homeless-shelter-after-city-broke-up-encampment-convention-center-20200501.html

New York, USA https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/socialpolicy/2020/06/01/new-yorks-homeless-population-should-not-be-pushed-into-the-shadows-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

LA, USA https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/coronavirus-spreads-to-most-skid-row-homeless-shelters-despite-efforts-to-stop-it/2360838/

USA, 5 State night shelter study

https://jamanetwork.com/channels/health-forum/fullarticle/2765745

Background info: Infection rates among rough sleepers in North America