Bristol man says he 'wants to give up' after living in a tent for six months
A man from Bristol says he "wants to give up" after living in a tent in his uncle's back garden since last summer.
Stuart Hodge found himself homeless in July 2020 and has been living in a tent outside of Bristol ever since.
Mr Hodge says he feels safer in his uncle's garden than in a hostel but temperatures have dropped to -6C while he's been sleeping in the tent.
He said: "If it was not for my uncle, I would be dead right now."
He also claimed he has been unable to bid for social housing in Bristol despite submitting an application nearly 21 weeks ago.
Bristol City Council has apologised for the length of time it has taken to process his application.
It says the assessments have now been completed, allowing the bid to progress.
The 49-year-old said: "I feel worthless and helpless - every day I wake up feeling no hope.
"Every day I get a feeling that I want to give up.
"The council is making it worse for me because they are not doing anything to help me.
"It [his housing situation] is keeping me away from my family and I am in the middle of nowhere but at least I am safe.
"I would not wish this on anybody. I would never, ever, thought I would be homeless - not in my wildest dreams.
"It has totally changed my outlook on homelessness and how easy and quickly it can happen."
Mr Hodge - who used to live in Henbury but is now residing outside Bristol - said there have been times where temperatures have dropped to -4C or -6C while he has been living in the tent.
He has got a small heater - which costs him £80 a month to run - as well as a small TV and a lamp.
During the day, he is able to go inside his uncle's house and use the shower and toilets facilities but then, at 6pm, Mr Hodge returns to the tent to give his relative some privacy.
"I try to make it as homely as I can but this is no way of living," he added.
"This is my third tent now because the other two got destroyed in storms.
"I have had four major storms since I have been here. It is a very windy spot and it is not ideal, it is not something I would choose to do.
"It is degrading, nobody wants to be in this situation."
Mr Hodge works as a turnstyle manager at Ashton Gate but is now unable to get any shifts as he is too far from the stadium.
Instead, he is having to rely on the £410 he gets every month in Universal Credit.
He said: "I am majorly depressed and I have no hope for the future."
Mr Hodge is conscious that, once he is able to start bidding for properties, it could be a long time until he gets a property - with the council telling him it could take up to 18 months.
What Bristol City Council has said
“We apologise for the length of time taken to process this application."This is a complex case requiring input from several agencies, but assessments have now been completed allowing this bid to progress."
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