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Wales Online
19-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Man spends 13 years on Welsh council's housing waiting list
Man spends 13 years on Welsh council's housing waiting list The council has told Tom Weaver he'll probably never leave temporary accommodation, highlighting the housing crisis and the reality facing service users and local authorities in Wales Tom Weaver, from Bridgend, has been waiting for a permanent home for 13 years and is no closer to getting one (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) A 61-year-old man who suffered a sudden brain haemorrhage in 2012 has been on his council's housing waiting list – and effectively homeless – ever since. Tom Weaver, from Wildmill in Bridgend, had a brain haemorrhage on the way back from his job at McArthur Glen retail park in Bridgend when he had to be rushed to hospital. Medical staff told his family to prepare for the worst before Tom made an unexpected recovery. He was discharged from hospital more than three months later completely paralysed on his left-hand side and unable to see out of his left eye. The Army veteran had to stop work and began to rely on social services for support. Moving into temporary accommodation back then before a council property could be found suitable for his needs Tom had expected it to be a short-term 'stepping stone' arrangement. But well over a decade later Tom, who relies on an electric wheelchair, remains in limbo – like thousands of others in Bridgend borough and across Wales. He is one of 140,000 people in Wales on a council's housing waiting list but is thought to be one of the country's longest-waiting. Towards the end of last year Bridgend County Borough Council told us more than 250 people in the borough were in temporary accommodation at that point while there were more than 3,000 live applications on the council's housing waiting list – clearly showing how supply isn't meeting demand. Tom, an Army veteran, was a 'workaholic' before he had a brain haemorrhage (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Article continues below Tom, who was a combat radio operator in the British Army, told WalesOnline: 'These houses haven't been built with electric wheelchairs in mind. For my disabilities this home is a good one but it's temporary. 'It's a stepping stone into a permanent home. The council moved me here because I faced being homeless. And it was the only place a council had for an electric wheelchair. 'As soon as the council find a suitable permanent home I have to leave. But they've said I'll probably be here for the rest of my life.' On Monday the Welsh Government said it had set out a 'bold and ambitious bill which aims to transform our response to homelessness'. You can read about the plan here. A spokesman said: 'The homelessness and social housing allocation (Wales) bill will fundamentally change our homelessness system so it focuses on prevention and providing tools to support people in longer-term homes. 'The bill focuses on a multi-agency response to homelessness, bringing public services together to respond to the varied causes and consequences of homelessness. "It is rooted in evidence and the lived experience of those who have been homeless and is a vital step towards achieving our long-term ambition of ending homelessness in Wales.' Stay informed on Bridgend news by signing up to our newsletter here. Tom said he doesn't blame the council and feels sorry for local authorities having got to know the challenges they face (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Tom said: 'I've seen a lot of flats and bungalows but they are just not suitable. I either can't fit into the bedroom or can't into the bathroom. "They say they're disability-friendly but really they're for people with more minor disabilities or for people with walking difficulties. 'I don't blame the councils. This is happening across Wales where councils are struggling to house people but they can only offer what they've got available. 'In my case the reason I've been in this position for 13 years is because of the failure of successive governments for not insisting properties have accommodation suitable for disabled people. I'm not sure I'll ever be found a permanent home. So technically I could always be classed as homeless.' Article continues below The Welsh Government announced its new strategy will focus on preventing homelessness with early intervention. They said the broad focus includes: 'Transforming the homelessness system in Wales so that it focuses on earlier identification and prevention, targeting action at those most at risk and in particular, providing the opportunity to end homelessness amongst young people leaving care, and focusing on a multi-agency response to homelessness, bringing Welsh public services together to respond to the varied causes and consequences of homelessness.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'I've spent 13 years waiting for a permanent home'
An army veteran who has spent 13 years on a waiting list for social housing has said the uncertainty has had a "big impact" on his mental health. Tom Weaver from Bridgend currently lives in temporary accommodation run by homelessness charity The Wallich but has struggled to find a permanent home due to the adaptations required for him as a wheelchair user. He is calling on the Welsh government to address what he called a "chronic lack of suitable accommodation" for individuals and families. A homelessness and social housing allocation bill is expected to be announced in the Senedd later on Monday, which the Welsh government said was a "vital step" towards ending homelessness in Wales. More cash needed for 20,000 homes plan - watchdog Number of homeless people in Wales at record high Wales drops green target for social housing Mr Weaver had a brain haemorrhage in 2012 which left him paralysed on his left side and partially blind. He now uses an electric wheelchair. At the time the local authority semi-adapted his house for him but he has since had to move several times to different homes. Once going onto the waiting list, Mr Weaver said he realised a lot of the houses offered were unsuitable. "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 said. Mr Weaver loves his current home, allocated to him by Bridgend Council and managed by the Wallich. During the two and a half years he has been there he said he has made friends, however it is hard to deal with the uncertainty. The local authority have been "very understanding" of his needs with his current housing worked "perfectly", he said, but he is worried about the future. "I think after 13 years it'd be like winning the lottery to get a permanent home where I can put roots down," he said. Tom is calling on the Welsh government to do more to tackle what he described as a "chronic lack of suitable accommodation, across the board not just for me but for families". He wants the Welsh government to block planning permission unless developers include some houses for able-bodied homeless people and accessible bungalows or ground floor flats. Freedom of Information data previously found 139,000 people in Wales were waiting for a social home at the end of 2023. That however is likely to be an underestimate. Data shows there were an estimated 125 individuals sleeping rough throughout Wales on 28 February 2025. StatsWales data also shows in February 2025 there were 11,057 homeless people in temporarily accommodation. It comes as the Welsh government is expected to introduce legislation on Monday it said will transform the way Wales responds to homelessness. The Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill will focus on a few key elements: Transforming the homelessness system in Wales so that it focuses on earlier identification and prevention Targeting action at those most at risk. In particular, providing the opportunity to end homelessness among young people leaving care. Focusing on a multi-agency response to homelessness, bringing Welsh public services together to respond to the different causes and consequences of homelessness 'I was homeless while revising for my GCSEs' No working toilets and zombie knives in 'vile' housing for kids
