New rules for Bristol families on housing waiting lists

There are about 19,000 families on the housing waiting list in Bristol

New rules will stop nearly half of families on the housing waiting list in Bristol from applying for homes.

The restrictions, agreed by Marvin Rees's cabinet, effectively exclude almost 9,500 households, deemed to have the least urgent need, from bidding.

Greater priority will now be given to older people in need of sheltered housing, care leavers, tenants and people at risk of homelessness.

The council said people will not be removed from the housing register.

Less than 1% of those in the lowest priority "Band Four" are allocated a home through the authority's website, the council was told at a housing board meeting on Wednesday.

This is because demand for accommodation far outstripped the available supply.

The new policy will mean only a tiny fraction from that group can bid for a property.

Tenant representative Nigel Varley, of Gilton House, Brislington, accused the authority of trying to hide the true scale of the housing crisis.

The restrictions were agreed by Mr Rees's cabinet earlier this month

"There needs to be some way for people who require affordable housing or want a council house, even though they have no chance of getting it, to register that interest," Mr Varley said.

"If you don't give them the opportunity to bid, you lose that.

"We have to have a fight in this city for council housing."

Bristol City Council head of housing options Paul Sylvester replied: "We are not getting rid of people. That's not the plan.

"People will still be allowed to be on the housing register but we will restrict their bidding.

"That will enable us to continue to have oversight of need in Bristol."