Help for the homeless in Manchester has been stepped up as the temperature drops

Efforts to give people sleeping rough in Manchester warm rooms will be stepped up when temperatures drop below zero, the council said.

In November, a city-wide cold weather protocol was adopted, with more city council workers and charity workers offering accommodation to the homeless.

It is activated when temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing and requires extra effort to maintain until at least 04:30 GMT each day.

Joanna Midgley, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, said the “enhanced coverage offer” was “particularly important” in the cold weather.

She said the warm bed offer was more likely to be taken up in the winter and could be used as an opportunity to offer people a wider range of help.

“Often this is the first step on the way to a better, healthier future,” the deputy added.

The annual response to the cold temperatures is being carried out by the council in partnership with the Manchester Homelessness Partnership, a group of charities which co-ordinates support for homeless people in the city.

Amanda Croom of the Catholic charity Caritas, which is part of the group, said the wider support could be anything from “free food, showers, specialist advice and supported accommodation”.

She said anyone can become homeless “at any time and for any number of reasons, but everyone deserves a safe, secure place to call home.”