Using general needs council housing as temporary accommodation consultation 2024

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This consultation has concluded.


This consultation is in English.


Arabic, Polish, Somali and Easy Read versions are also available.


Introduction

Bristol has around 21,600 households on HomeChoice Bristol (the Bristol Housing Register) waiting to be allocated a home. The council has around 27,000 social housing properties in total and we are working hard to increase this, but the number of people who need social housing is also going up.

'General needs’ council homes are for people who are on HomeChoice Bristol (the Bristol Housing Register) – either already housed or on the waiting list, waiting to move to a more suitable property. ‘Temporary accommodation’ provides somewhere to stay for people who are vulnerable and in a housing emergency. Temporary accommodation is used while the council assesses a household’s homelessness application and, after this, while they wait for a more permanent home if they meet certain legal thresholds. The council is committed to providing safe, secure and suitable temporary accommodation for those who need it.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of households in temporary accommodation has grown significantly in Bristol and across the UK; and the cost has also escalated. The amount the council can receive from national government to cover the cost of temporary accommodation has been frozen since 2011, meaning there is a growing funding shortfall the council needs to meet. As a council we need to find new ways to provide more temporary accommodation that is more affordable.


What we are proposing

Of the homes that become available for letting in our stock of ‘general needs’ housing, we propose to transfer up to 18 homes each month to be used for temporary accommodation. This will provide homes for people in a housing emergency to live in while the council assesses their housing needs, and they wait for a more permanent home. We propose to do this for a period of two years, with a review after one year.

We will not use new-build homes for temporary accommodation. All new-build homes will be available for general needs lettings.

In this consultation, we asked for your views on this proposal.


This consultation is now closed

The consultation was open from Tuesday 20 August 2024 to Tuesday 1 October 2024.


What happens next?

All responses to this consultation will be analysed. The feedback will be used to help develop final proposals to transfer general housing to temporary accommodation.

A decision on whether to approve the final proposals will be made by Bristol City Council’s Homes and Housing Delivery committee in late 2024. In making their decision, the committee will consider the report of consultation responses.

You can find details of forthcoming committee meetings and their agendas at democracy.bristol.gov.uk.

Decisions made will be shared at democracy.bristol.gov.uk and on this page.


This consultation is in English.


Arabic, Polish, Somali and Easy Read versions are also available.


Introduction

Bristol has around 21,600 households on HomeChoice Bristol (the Bristol Housing Register) waiting to be allocated a home. The council has around 27,000 social housing properties in total and we are working hard to increase this, but the number of people who need social housing is also going up.

'General needs’ council homes are for people who are on HomeChoice Bristol (the Bristol Housing Register) – either already housed or on the waiting list, waiting to move to a more suitable property. ‘Temporary accommodation’ provides somewhere to stay for people who are vulnerable and in a housing emergency. Temporary accommodation is used while the council assesses a household’s homelessness application and, after this, while they wait for a more permanent home if they meet certain legal thresholds. The council is committed to providing safe, secure and suitable temporary accommodation for those who need it.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of households in temporary accommodation has grown significantly in Bristol and across the UK; and the cost has also escalated. The amount the council can receive from national government to cover the cost of temporary accommodation has been frozen since 2011, meaning there is a growing funding shortfall the council needs to meet. As a council we need to find new ways to provide more temporary accommodation that is more affordable.


What we are proposing

Of the homes that become available for letting in our stock of ‘general needs’ housing, we propose to transfer up to 18 homes each month to be used for temporary accommodation. This will provide homes for people in a housing emergency to live in while the council assesses their housing needs, and they wait for a more permanent home. We propose to do this for a period of two years, with a review after one year.

We will not use new-build homes for temporary accommodation. All new-build homes will be available for general needs lettings.

In this consultation, we asked for your views on this proposal.


This consultation is now closed

The consultation was open from Tuesday 20 August 2024 to Tuesday 1 October 2024.


What happens next?

All responses to this consultation will be analysed. The feedback will be used to help develop final proposals to transfer general housing to temporary accommodation.

A decision on whether to approve the final proposals will be made by Bristol City Council’s Homes and Housing Delivery committee in late 2024. In making their decision, the committee will consider the report of consultation responses.

You can find details of forthcoming committee meetings and their agendas at democracy.bristol.gov.uk.

Decisions made will be shared at democracy.bristol.gov.uk and on this page.