Homeless people across London are to be offered shelter as temperatures are set to drop below freezing during ice-cold nights. 

It comes as the capital's Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) has been activated seeing an emergency accommodation provided for rough sleepers. 

Some areas of London will drop as low as minus three during the week, as mayor Sadiq Khan warns too many face sleeping on the streets without safe accommodation.

All London boroughs have committed to the Mayor's "In for Good" scheme, seeing no one will be asked to leave accommodation until a support plan is in place. 

The plan will ensure that there is an end to their rough sleeping, regardless of an increase in temperature.

The latest figures show that the number of people sleeping rough in London has increased by 24% in the past year. 

With more than 3,600 sleeping on the streets of the capital from June and September. 

Speaking of the program, mayor Khan said: "Too many people are facing a freezing winter on the streets of the capital without the safe, secure accommodation they need.

READ MORE: Met Office warning to Londoners amid severe cold weather

“Across the capital, we are doing everything we can to prevent anyone sleeping rough in these freezing conditions as we work to build a fairer and safer London for everyone.

“I am also encouraging Londoners to download the Streetlink app or use the Streetlink website to connect people they see sleeping rough with local support services.

“London’s councils and charities will be working even harder this week to support some of the most vulnerable people in our city.”

The scheme only operates when temperatures drop to below freezing with much of the UK expected to be met with Arctic air this week.

The UK Health and Security Agency has issued a cold weather alert from Wednesday evening and recommended people warm their homes to at least 18C (64.4F).