Councils will receive a new £10m Cold Weather Fund to help rough sleepers stay safe this winter.

The funding will help councils provide more self-contained accommodation for rough sleepers to protect them from the risks posed by coronavirus.

Minister for housing and rough sleeping, Kelly Tolhurst, said: ‘These extra measures will help protect this vulnerable group from life-threatening cold weather, as well as the risk of contracting COVID-19, and also provide them with support into move-on accommodation.

'The work councils, providers, and the NHS has done since the start of the pandemic has saved lives and through this extra funding we will continue help them to rebuild their lives, part of our commitment to end rough sleeping for good.'

New guidance has also been published to help shelters reopen safely if needed, providing communal facilities only if there is no other alternative.

But chief executive of the Homeless Link charity, Rick Henderson, warned: ‘Traditional night shelters should only open as a last resort if self-contained accommodation is not a possibility.

'We welcome the operating principles published today, which will help make shelters open as safely as possible if they do become a necessity.'