Emergency accommodation is open in Medway today, 13 November 2026, with the council and partner agencies working to reach people sleeping rough before the cold takes hold.
Medway Council has activated its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol — SWEP — opening emergency beds to anyone sleeping rough in the area. The announcement went out on social media this morning, with the council saying it’s been working alongside partner agencies to get the word out as widely as possible.
SWEP exists for one reason: to stop people dying in the cold. Medway’s policy triggers the protocol when overnight temperatures are forecast to hit 0°C or below for three or more consecutive nights — though the council can move earlier if freezing rain, snow, ice or dangerous winds make that wait unreasonable.
When it runs, the standard provision includes a night refuge taking up to 20 people, stretching to 30 under pressure. Five bed-and-breakfast spaces and three supported-housing spaces sit alongside that, and the Medway Assessment Centre expands from six to 11 self-contained rooms. Overnight shelter has previously been provided at Emmaus Church in Chatham, with support from local organisation One Big Family.
The specific venue, capacity and opening hours for 13 November 2026 had not been independently verified from official material at the time of publication.
Anyone needing help can contact Kingsley House in Gillingham directly. An out-of-hours homelessness line is also available while SWEP is active.
Key information
- Kingsley House, Gillingham — call 01634 333600 or freephone 0808 1641444 for rough-sleeper support (subject to arrangements on the day)
- Out-of-hours homelessness service — call 01634 304400 when SWEP is active and daytime contact is not possible
- Medway Council provides rough-sleeper support year-round, not only during SWEP activations
Medway Council opens emergency shelter for rough sleepers as SWEP activated Quiz
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