Calls for rough sleepers to be taken off South Yorkshire's streets during lockdown
They were given hotel rooms during the first wave
Charities tell us it's 'crazy' rough sleepers aren't being taken off the streets of South Yorkshire during the second lockdown.
Back in the Spring councils were given money to house homeless people in hotels as Covid cases soared.
But the 'Everyone In' scheme hasn't been brought back for the second national shutdown and charities say it's more important than ever as we head into winter.
Tim Renshaw runs the Cathedral Archer Project in Sheffield and can't understand why it's not in place:
"Everyone In was a successful scheme for some people - not for everybody - but it certainly got people off the street and into safety.
"We need that really in these winter months and it seems a backward step to take that provision away from people as we're coming into the coldest time of the year.
"It just seems crazy it's not in place now.
"We're looking at working outside in the wet and in the cold. Those people who still remain on the street are therefore not getting any respite from inclement weather, nowhere to sit down, nowhere to relax that's warm and dry.
"That's a danger really, especially when we look at he potential cold weather overnight in the coming months.
"Our fear ultimately, I guess, is death."
The government says it's putting more funding into protecting vulnerable people but many think rough sleepers should be off the streets in a global health emergency.
Normally during the winter a scheme called Weather Watch kicks in when the temperature overnight falls below a certain threshold.
It means councils house rough sleepers in shared spaces like fire stations so they have somewhere warm to sleep.
But Tim says it'll be different in 2020:
"That can't happen this year - they've got to look at single unit space. If we can't do that, that means there's a danger people will be on the streets and there has to be with that a greater danger to life and ill health."
A spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government said:
“The Government has taken unprecedented action to support the most vulnerable people in our society during the pandemic – backed by over £700 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping this year alone.
“This work is ongoing and by September we had supported over 29,000 people, with two-thirds now moved into settled accommodation.
“We’re working with councils, charities and other partners to protect vulnerable rough sleepers this winter and last week launched a £15 million Protect Programme to ensure local areas facing the biggest challenges get the help they need to support rough sleepers.”