New homeless shelter to get young people off streets

The new shelter will provide unique care to young homeless people

A homeless shelter for young people is due to open in Bristol.

Caring in Bristol is launching Z House in St Paul's in June. If successful, it could become a model for other charities to launch similar shelters for young people across the country.

Alv Hirst, storytelling co-ordinator for the charity said: "Young people who are homeless need a completely different care package, which at the moment isn't on offer for them."

The shelter will house up to four people aged between 18 to 25. When they are ready to leave, they will be offered support in securing permanent accommodation and a job.

The new shelter will be used as a pilot that could be rolled out in other parts of the country

Lilly, who did not want to give her surname, is already being supported by the charity. She said without the help of Caring in Bristol, it would have been impossible to escape living on the streets.

“I was just sleeping on a friend's living room floor, just living in a sleeping bag for that period of time not having your own place or not knowing where you're going to be that night, trying to rapidly message friends and see if anyone can help you out," she said.

"You're more just in survival mode, it just doesn't leave space for anything else in your life.

"And that's the hardest thing- you can't give anything else any other energy just kind of treading water.”

Rent rises

Young people are entitled to less housing benefits than adults and they often struggle to compete against working professionals to secure a rented home.

"This makes it very hard for young people, who may not have family support, to find somewhere to live," said Mr Hirst.

"It's becoming more and more of a problem as rents continue to rise across Bristol. A room in a shared house can now be more than people's wages.

"The new shelter has been designed with young people in mind. They are able to pick from our prints and plants so they can personalise their own rooms.

"It's also about once they are ready to leave, we will work with our partners to ensure they are supported to move away from a homelessness crisis."

In Bristol, 15% of residents - about 72,300 people - live in the top 10% of the most deprived areas in England, including 17,900 children.

Charity bosses are now looking for volunteers to help run the new shelter.

Bristol's homeless figures

Households assessed for homeless support

• In 2021 to 2022: 3,119 were assessed, and 2,741 were owed a duty by the council

• In 2022 to 2023: 3,207 were assessed, and 2,969 were owed a duty by the council

Households in temporary/interim accommodation

• 2021: 1,124 households

• 2022: 1,153 households

• 2023: 1,252 households

These figures do not include people experiencing homelessness who have not approached the council for help, including sofa surfers.

Statistics show that 58 people were sleeping rough in Bristol on a single night in autumn 2022 - down from 68 the year before.

Bristol is still among the most in need for the higher level of extra funding out of 123 councils in England.