Hosting and supporting people seeking asylum in Bristol
Host Information Evening
We are holding a relaxed information evening for anyone who is interested in about hosting for BHN. Come along if you would like to find out how you can use your spare room to help people seeking asylum in Bristol.
📅Thursday 7th May 2026, 7pm - 8.30pm
📍Aid Box Community, St Bart's Parish Church, BS6 5BX
🔗Email hosting@bhn.org.uk to tell us you're coming, or just show up!
Join us for an informal open evening and hear from current and past BHN hosts, meet our staff, and get to know other like-minded people in your community. Drinks and light bites will be provided.
No hosting experience necessary; and you can host for as long or as short as you like - whatever works best for you. Our Hosting Manager and Support Worker will be there to support you in every step of the hosting process.
We can't wait to meet you. If you have any questions about the evening, please don't hesitate to email hosting@bhn.org.uk
Become a Host
"Hosting really makes you feel you're actually making a positive difference, in a world which can sometimes feel uncaring."
Current Host, 2020
BHN provide accommodation and board to destitute asylum seekers, our members, through our host network and men's hostel.
We have facilitated hosting of over 100 people since 2009, providing safety and security to rebuild their lives in the UK.
Why do we host asylum seekers?
Asylum seekers whose claim has been denied are forbidden from working and are not allowed to claim benefits. Without an income, these individuals can't find accommodation and are left destitute.
It was clear to us in 2009 that by providing accommodation, we could not only meet their immediate need for shelter and safety, but we could also buy them time to make a fresh claim after gathering the evidence required.
We couldn't do this without the hospitality of our hosts - individuals offering a room in their home as either short, medium or long-term accommodation for BHN members in need.
What is involved in becoming a host?
It really is as simple as providing a spare room. Duration is often a minimum of three months. We work hard to get to know the hosts and their requirements first in order to place appropriate members in their home. Some hosts have a spare room with separate toilet, kitchenette and entrance. Others have a room and are happy to either let the member live independently or provide community and relationship by connecting with the member over food and socialising. We can discuss your ideal hosting situation in order to facilitate a successful placement, and will provide support regarding social distancing during the lockdown.
It is a little more challenging to facilitate hosting during lockdown, but we have carried out our meetings via phone and video conferencing successfully, and are confident that this is not a barrier to assessing suitability and introducing host and member. Once a host placement has been facilitated, we will continue to provide specialist support to the person hosted (at the moment, on a weekly basis with interpreters where required), and troubleshoot any problems with the placement.
Unfortunately BHN isn’t currently able to place people in homes where children are living. Please do get in touch with us, however, as there may be other ways in which you can offer support.
The Illegal Migration Act will see more people become destitute. The need for hosts is more acute than ever. Our host network is a mixture of short, medium and long-term placements. Most placements last for a minimum of three months, but they can be extended if both parties agree. Where hosting placements come to an end, we are able to move that person either to a new host or into our men's hostel.
Bristol City Council have funded us to recruit more hosts and increase our placement. We are recruiting now for more hosts.
What do I need to do to become a host?
If you have a spare room and are interested in hosting, please contact us to discuss it further.
Please see our FAQ's for further information about hosting.
Hear it from our hosts...
BHN HOST, 2020
Most hosting requires minimal effort - letting somebody stay in your spare room is a pleasure.
BHN HOST, 2020
"Knowing there is support from BHN to both host and guest means you feel reassured and able to ask any questions".
BHN HOST, 2020
Hosting for BHN is massively rewarding, and really easy too.