Find a home

There are many ways in which the Council can help you with Housing. 

Homelessness

If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, you should visit your local Customer Service Point or CSP. They are able to offer a range of advice and services, including:

• help with your current tenancy agreement
• advice about Council Housing, Private Housing and Housing Benefit.  

If your case is more complex, the CSP may refer you on to the Housing Advice Team, or to other more specific services.

If you currently have a support worker or key worker, they should also be able to make a referral.

If you are a professional agency and wish to refer someone, please fill in our housing advice referral form below and forward either by fax or email to the contact information given at the end of the form.

Housing Advice Referral Form in MS Word
Housing Advice Referral Form in PDF (pdf, 157 KB) (opens new window)

Severe weather

Each year, the City Council and partners operate a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) to find accommodation for people who would otherwise be sleeping rough in periods of particularly cold weather.  This includes extra temporary hostel beds.  The arrangements operate when temperatures are predicted to be zero centigrade or below for three nights in a row. 

If you are worried about someone you think might be sleeping rough call St Mungo's Compass Centre on 0117 944 0581 or contact the national rough sleeping helpline at 0300 500 0914 or go to the Street Link website.

Housing benefit

If you are in receipt of Housing Benefit or other benefits, changes made in January 2012 and the upcoming switch to Universal Credit (April 2013) may affect you. Please read our Changes to Housing Benefit page to see how you will be affected.

Council housing

If you are interested in renting a council or housing association property, you will need to sign up to The Bristol Housing Register.

To buy the council property you live in, you need the Right To Buy scheme or you may be interested in Affordable Housing including the Low Cost Ownership scheme.

Money advice

The Welfare Rights And Money Advice Service (WRAMAS) provides benefit advice, money advice and consultancy. The service targets those who are less able to claim benefits for themselves and who may be missing out. If you have a problem with your current Housing Benefits payments, phone the call centre directly on 0117 922 2300 or visit your nearest CSP.

Privately rented - landlords

We can provide a service to private landlords, either by helping you make use of your empty accommodation or by providing tenants. We can also give you advice on your rights and obligations as a landlord.

Privately rented - tenants

We can also provide a service to tenants by giving you advice on your rights and help if you have problems with your landlord.

Helping the homeless

If you would like to help the homeless in your own way, there is a Box Collection Scheme where you can make a donation. These are in shops throughout:

• Broadmead
• Park Street and
• Whiteladies Road.

We actively encourage people to donate to this scheme rather than giving spare change to people that are street begging.