Applications open
You can apply to live in our almshousing by clicking the purple button below. Before you complete the form, please carefully read the eligibility criteria for our almshousing.
Please note that for vacant flats at Haberfield House, we may prioritise referrals from Bristol City Council for applicants that have care needs. This may mean that applicants are not taken from the waiting list.
Eligibility for Almshousing
In order to be eligible to live in Barstaple House, John Fosters Almshouse or Cwrt William Jones, applicants must fulfil the following criteria:
Aged 60 or over
In some cases we may consider applicants under the age of 60 where they meet all other criteria and also have a disability.
Capable of living independently
With minimal levels of support that can be met by friends/family or a specialist organisation and care needs that can be met through domiciliary care.
Although we provide a low level of support at our almshouses, we are not able to provide guarantees around continuity of support day to day. We are also not able to provide care. Residents would be expected to be able to manage their homes independently or, if they have care needs, to have those needs met through a registered care provider through domiciliary care.
Have a strong connection to the local authority in which the almshouse is based
Examples include:
- Living in the local authority area at the time of application.
- Having spent a significant part of one’s life living in the local authority area (at least 5 years out of the past 10, or over half of the applicant’s life).
- Having immediate family in the local authority area, on whom the applicant depends for support.
Unable to access appropriate private housing due to financial circumstances
May be reflected in a number of ways:
- The applicant is eligible for housing related benefits.
- The applicant does not have savings or capital in excess of £16,000 (or £42,000 for applicants that may need an extra care service at Haberfield House)
- The applicant does not own their own home.
Current housing is inappropriate for their needs
This could mean (among other things):
- That the applicant’s housing is insecure, or that they have been given notice that their tenure is coming to an end.
- The applicant’s housing (by which we mean the property itself, rather than variable factors such as neighbours etc) is having a direct and serious negative impact on their health that can not be mitigated through adaptions or other action by their landlord. In these cases, we may seek medical support for an application, e.g. a GP letter.
- The applicant is under-occupying social housing in the local authority area in which the almshouse is based, e.g. a single person living in a property with 2 or more bedrooms.
We would typically not consider someone who is living in social housing but does not fulfil any of the criteria above to be eligible for our almshouses.
What it’s like to live in a Bristol Charities Almshouse
“I have lived in John Foster’s since it opened. The rooms in the flat are very spacious. The kitchen is very modern with fitted units and the bathroom is also lovely. I have a balcony overlooking a nice garden. I feel very lucky to live here, thank you Bristol Charities”
“I came to Haberfield House as I was homeless. My Daughter in Law found out about Haberfield House as I was staying with my family for about 8 months. I moved in to Haberfield in May 2019. I think it is an outstanding complex. Everything I require for my needs is here. The setup is faultless. Its convenient for the shops and amenities. I’ve made lots of friends here. In the main the residents are a friendly bunch of people”