Our partners have all reacted very quickly and have tailored their services to fit with the requirements of social distancing - everyone wants to ensure that people are kept safe whilst getting the help that they need. 

The most up to date information on and guidance about coronavirus can be found on the NHS website at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Oxford City Council also have a link on their page that you may find useful for specific local questions:

https://www.oxford.gov.uk/coronavirus

Your first port of call should be the outreach team, OxSPOT. If you’re sleeping rough, OxSPOT will assess you and help you find the accommodation and support you need. 

During severe weather or every time the temperature falls to zero degrees Celsius or below (Met Office forecast) SWEP emergency accommodation is made available to anyone experiencing rough sleeping. This includes people who have no local connection to Oxford, no right to claim benefits or housing in the UK or who have refused offers of accommodation and support.

SWEP is currently closed.

For what to do in an emergency see the Oxford Mental Health Partnership website

If your need is less immediate there are numerous organisation that can help and support you

A dog is man's (or woman's!) best friend and if you are living on the streets, it is great to know that there are people that can help keep your friend fit and healthy.

The organisations below offer free of charge help for dogs that live on the streets with their owners.

Homeless Oxfordshire run a women-only housing project for people who have been verified by the outreach team, OxSPOT.  

The Gatehouse have a women only space every Tuesday from 5.30pm-7.00pm.

Your first port of call should be OxSPOT. If you’re sleeping rough, OxSPOT will assess you and help you find the accommodation and support you need to rebuild your life.

If you are currently experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence or abuse, you may be able to get advice and support from the Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Service or the Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse & Rape Crisis Centre.

If you’re worried about someone sleeping rough, you can let OxSPOT or StreetLink know about them – including where they normally sleep.

OxSPOT and StreetLink aren’t emergency services but they will follow up all calls and referrals as quickly as possible. If your health or someone else’s is in immediate danger, please call 999.

If you are concerned about someone in hot weather then you are right to be concerned.  If someone has no access to water, shade or protection from the sun, extremely hot weather can be life threatening. If you see that someone is seriously unwell and in need of urgent medical assistance, call the emergency services immediately.

There are things that you can do in hot weather to help. After you have made OxSPOT or StreetLink aware of your concerns, you can help by keeping people hydrated and protected from the sun. You can make donations of sun cream and bottled water to people directly or donate these goods to one of our many partners for distribution when there is a hot spell.  

If you’re sleeping rough you can discuss your options with OxSPOT in the first place. If you’ve got a bed in supported accommodation, please speak to your support worker.

You can also contact the organisations below directly

Your first port of call should be the outreach team, OxSPOT. If you’re sleeping rough, OxSPOT will assess you and help you find the accommodation and support you need to rebuild your life. This could include helping you return home if you want to.

At the moment, you need a local connection to access council-funded supported accommodation.

You may be able to find a bed through services that aren't funded by the council, such as Edge Housing and ACT.

You can use day services at all times and emergency beds during the winter.

You don’t have to have ID to use all services. If you need help obtaining ID, one of the organisations below may be able to help you.

You can get warm, shower, change your clothes and get free or cheap food at day services. You need to have been verified by OxSPOT before you can use some day services.

Some student and community groups provide help directly to people on the streets.

Oxford City Council has also collaborated with Feeding The Gaps and Good Food Oxford to create a map and database of services providing free or subsidised food within Oxford.

Please be aware that during the coronavirus outbreak, many of the providers of food are changing their offering to be takeaway only to keep everyone safe.

If you’re not already registered with a GP and are experiencing homelessness, you can register with Luther Street Medical Centre.

Luther Street Medical Centre isn’t an emergency service. If your health or someone else’s is in immediate danger, please call 999.

Your first port of call should be the outreach team, OxSPOT. If you’re sleeping rough, OxSPOT will assess you and help you find the accommodation and support you need to rebuild your life.

Citizens Advice Oxford and neighbourhood advice centres in Barton, Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill may be able to help if you need to claim welfare benefits or have an issue with benefits you are claiming at the moment.

You can get warm, shower, change your clothes and get free or cheap food at day services i.e. O'Hanlon House and The Porch. The Gatehouse Café also provides a safe and welcoming place to eat. You do need to have been verified by OxSPOT before you can use day services at O'Hanlon House.

Some student and community groups also provide clothes directly to people on the streets.

If you're an EU national, homeless and not working, you may not have the right to claim benefits or housing in the UK.

Your first port of call should be the outreach team, OxSPOT. If you’re sleeping rough, OxSPOT will assess you and help you find the accommodation and support you need to rebuild your life - if you are eligible for help.

If you're not entitled to benefits or housing, OxSPOT may be able to help you return home if you want to, or link you in with services who can help you into or back into work.

You can use day services at all times and access emergency accommodation during the winter.

Your first port of call should be the outreach team, OxSPOT. If you’re sleeping rough, OxSPOT will assess you and help you find the accommodation and support you need to rebuild your life

If you’re sleeping rough, you can talk to OxSPOT or Luther Street about the help that may be available. If you’re in supported accommodation, you can also speak to your support worker.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) does not hold meetings specifically for homeless people, but you can find an AA meeting near you on their website.

The services on this page are not emergency services. If your health or someone else’s is in immediate danger, please call 999.

If you’re worried about losing your home, you should get advice as early as possible. The council has to try to prevent you from becoming homeless, click on the link below to find out more:

I am worried about being evicted

We want to hear from you if you’ve got a question that’s not answered here. We will try and respond as soon as possible and will use your feedback to improve the site. Please email info@oxfordhomelessmovement.org.uk, drop us a line on social media or Get in touch.

Your first port of call should be the outreach team, OxSPOT. If you’re sleeping rough, OxSPOT will assess you and help you find the accommodation and support you need to rebuild your life.

You need to be verified by OxSPOT before you can access most beds and services funded by councils.