Emergency beds for rough sleepers made available

Rough sleepers in Bradford will have access to emergency shelter once temperatures dip to 0C

Shelter for rough sleepers in Bradford when temperatures drop to freezing point has been made available.

Bradford Council has announced its annual cold weather provision has been put in place for the winter months ahead.

Under UK law, local authorities have to provide accommodation for rough sleepers when temperatures are forecast to fall to 0C or below for three consecutive nights.

Some councils, including Bradford, provide emergency bed spaces on any one night that threshold is reached.

The council said anyone concerned about someone who is rough sleeping could visit www.streetlink.org.uk to connect them with local services.

Referrals can also be made in person at Bradford's Salvation Army building on Leeds Road, on weekdays, or at Discovery House on Barkerend Road on weekend afternoons.

Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, portfolio holder for planning, said: "Snow, freezing temperatures and icy winds can be life-threatening.

"When temperatures drop below zero, our provision means that those vulnerable people can have a warm place to stay indoors, where emergency temporary space is found often in the corridors of existing provision."

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