Bristol families facing homelessness treble in one year

The council said it had housed 140 vulnerable families in the 12 months from April 2014

The number of families facing homelessness in Bristol more than trebled in the past year, according to Bristol City Council.

It said it had placed 140 families in emergency accommodation at a cost of £3.2m. Last year the figure was 40.

It blamed "shortages in affordable housing, rising rents in the private rental market and welfare reform".

The Department for Work and Pensions said it was "completely misleading" to blame homelessness on welfare reform.

'Fight for property'

Labour councillor Naomi Rylatt said: "There's a fight for the property we have in Bristol,

"So rents for the private rental go up and people who are in long-term permanent work then can't afford the rent they're being charged. They then find themselves homeless."

Mother-of-two Ria Stevenson found herself homeless earlier this year when she was unable to afford temporary accommodation offered to her by the council.

She said: "When I got there [to the temporary accommodation] and was ready to sign the forms, they said it would cost me, I think it was £803 for the month.

"Because I wasn't entitled to housing benefit... I'd have to cover all that myself, which was unaffordable. I couldn't do it, so I ended up being homeless."

The council report said: "Factors including the shortage of affordable housing in Bristol, rising rents in the private rental market and welfare reform have led to a significant increase in the amount of accommodation that is 'spot purchased' to meet our statutory duties to house people on an emergency basis."

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "There are many reasons for homelessness and to suggest that they are due to welfare reform is completely misleading.

"We provided almost £500m to local councils to support people transitioning to our reforms and have already seen those affected by them take action by moving into work or downsizing."

Bristol is run by an independent mayor with a cabinet of councillors from different parties. Labour holds the largest number of seats on the city council.