Recent reporting highlighted what we already knew at Caring in Bristol; the city is an expensive place to live. In particular, and of great concern to us as a charity tackling homelessness and housing insecurity, Bristol is the least affordable city to rent in. Latest complete data from the Office of National Statistics (2024) cites that a renter with an average salary is paying 45% of their wages on rent. For comparison, the London figure is 42% on average.

Unaffordable overnight

Statistics are just waypoints in a story. Between these points are real people experiencing significant challenges to meet ordinary living costs. We meet people who are forced to move to a cheaper home or area (or both.) Rent inflation can also mean that someone’s rented home becomes unaffordable overnight. We hope that the new Renters’ Rights Act will go some way to controlling the frequency of rises, and enable unfair hikes to be challenged. The outlawing of bidding wars is another measure that will help in some cases.

Disruption

Whatever way you add it up, when rents become decreasingly affordable, something has to give. It might be declining health caused by the stress and worry. It might be the cost of moving to a less suitable (but more affordable) home, away from family and friends. It might be disruption to studies or work. Since our homes are the foundation for pretty much everything in our lives, affordability urgently needs to be addressed. Until it is, it points towards more housing insecurity and homelessness.

There are solutions

There isn’t a perfect solution, but without action renters continue to feel the increasing pressure. Rent controls and rent freezes have been used in other parts of Europe and the UK. Some are critical of their effectiveness, but it’s hard to see how something that doesn’t manage the structure of how rents are set will make the immediate difference that is urgently needed. Scarcity can also drive rents up. We need to increase the supply of good quality affordable homes for rent – especially social homes. A serious building programme would start to address the huge waiting lists, and numbers of household in temporary accommodation in Bristol.

Collective impact

These are some of the things we can ask decision makers about, locally and nationally. Homelessness and housing security is something that impacts all of us, wherever and however we live. Collectively, our voices can make a difference, and demand that no one is priced out of their home, and into an insecure or precarious situation. After all, our homes are fundamental to the fabric of our society.