‘I’ve spent 13 years at the social housing ready listing’

An military veteran who has spent 13 years on a ready listing for social housing has mentioned the uncertainty has had a “big impact” on his psychological well being.

Tom Weaver from Bridgend lately lives in transient lodging run by way of homelessness charity The Wallich however has struggled to discover a everlasting house because of the diversifications required for him as a wheelchair consumer.

He is asking at the Welsh govt to handle what he referred to as a “chronic lack of suitable accommodation” for people and households.

A homelessness and social housing allocation invoice is anticipated to be introduced within the Senedd in a while Monday, which the Welsh govt mentioned used to be a “vital step” in opposition to finishing homelessness in Wales.

Mr Weaver had a mind haemorrhage in 2012 which left him paralysed on his left facet and in part blind. He now makes use of an electrical wheelchair.

At the time the native authority semi-adapted his area for him however he has since needed to transfer a number of occasions to other properties.

Once going onto the ready listing, Mr Weaver mentioned he realised a large number of the homes presented have been incorrect.

“I’ve gone into properties where I can’t turn into the bathroom or into the bedroom, in one property I couldn’t get in the kitchen with an electric wheelchair. It was so badly designed but on paper it was wheelchair friendly,” he mentioned.

Mr Weaver loves his present house, allotted to him by way of Bridgend Council and controlled by way of the Wallich. During the 2 and a part years he has been there he mentioned he has made pals, alternatively it’s laborious to maintain the uncertainty.

The native authority had been “very understanding” of his wishes along with his present housing labored “perfectly”, he mentioned, however he’s nervous concerning the long run.

“I think after 13 years it’d be like winning the lottery to get a permanent home where I can put roots down,” he mentioned.

Tom is asking at the Welsh govt to do extra to take on what he described as a “chronic lack of suitable accommodation, across the board not just for me but for families”.

He desires the Welsh govt to dam making plans permission except builders come with some properties for able-bodied homeless other folks and obtainable bungalows or floor ground apartments.

Freedom of Information information in the past discovered 139,000 other folks in Wales have been looking forward to a social house on the finish of 2023. That alternatively could be an underestimate.

Data displays there have been an estimated 125 folks drowsing tough all over Wales on 28 February 2025.

StatsWales information additionally displays in February 2025 there have been 11,057 homeless other folks in quickly lodging.

It comes because the Welsh govt is anticipated to introduce regulation on Monday it mentioned will develop into the best way Wales responds to homelessness.

The Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill will center of attention on a couple of key parts:

• Transforming the homelessness device in Wales in order that it makes a speciality of previous id and prevention
• Targeting motion at the ones maximum in danger. In specific, offering the chance to finish homelessness amongst younger other folks leaving care.
• Focusing on a multi-agency reaction to homelessness, bringing Welsh public products and services in combination to reply to the other reasons and penalties of homelessness