Tag Archives: Cost Of Living

Time to Talk Day

Today’s blog is from Councillor Ellie King Cabinet Member with responsibility for Public Health and Communities.

Over the past three years, we have all faced many significant challenges, many having widespread impacts, including on people’s mental health and wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdowns, restrictions and uncertainty, while important for slowing the spread of the virus, had a major impact on a lot of people’s mental health and wellbeing. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), one in six adults said they experienced some form of depression in the summer of 2021.

Talking about our mental health helps to reduce stigma and create supportive communities, where we can talk openly and feel empowered to seek help when we need it. Time to Talk Day is an important way to start that conversation.

As we face a cost of living crisis, and rising cost of food and energy bills, we need to highlight the impact it is having around mental health and wellbeing, to let people know that it is ok to talk about it.

The cost of living crisis is affecting many people, whether that be reducing the amount you turn the heating on or struggling to get a normal food shop in. These difficulties and worrying about finances can have a significant impact on mental health and wellbeing, and if you already have poor mental health, these money worries can make things even worse.

Whether you are struggling financial or with mental health and wellbeing, or both, it is important to reach out regardless of what level of support you need. You do not need to be in a crisis before asking for help, it is better to ask the questions and get advice before getting to that point.

I know that I struggled during lockdown home-schooling my two children and worrying about my friends and family. It can be difficult asking for help, you may feel ashamed and awkward about asking but it is important to know you don’t have to suffer alone. While it may take some time to work things through, help is available, you will not be judged and if you are anything like me, you will find it a huge relief and support.

Welcoming Spaces

Since October, 90 Welcoming Spaces have opened across Bristol. They are places where people can keep warm, socialise with others, and access support. Citizens Advice Bristol are running drop-in sessions at various venues to give practical guidance around benefits, money, debt and energy, and they can signpost to specialist legal if more assistance is needed.

Welcoming Spaces are open for all to visit whether you are having a good or bad day. If you are feeling lonely or struggling to keep warm at home, need mental health or emotional wellbeing support, or are finding you’re struggling due to worries around the cost of living, please utilise the services available and don’t suffer alone. Help is available.

You can find your nearest Welcoming Space on the Bristol City Council website.

Other support

If you don’t feel comfortable attending a Welcoming Space, other support for mental health and money issues are available across the city.

Every Mind Matters give expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health.

If you’re struggling most days, it’s important you ask for support. Community Access Support Service can signpost to organisations across Bristol for all groups of people and communities.

If you start to feel that daily life is getting too much to cope with, you can contact The Samaritans or Shout 85258.

The Samaritans offer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on:

  • 0330 094 5717
  • freephone 116 123

Shout 85258 offers confidential text support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When you need immediate help, text SHOUT to 85258.

Bristol Mind also has online resources to support older people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

VitaMinds is a free and confidential NHS service which offers a range of short-term talking therapies to people aged 16 and over who live in and are registered with a GP in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

Second Step supply mental health and wellbeing services to help people take the next steps in their recovery. They give practical help and emotional support tailored to everyone.

Changes Bristol give free peer support to any adult suffering from mental distress. This includes weekly in-person and online support as well as a telephone befriending service.

Citizens Advice can give you free advice around money, housing and legal problems.

Use the Money Helper website for free tools to help track spending, save and get help while you’re working.

Get tips about managing money from Money Saving Expert.

Further cost of living support is available on the Bristol City Council website or you can call the We Are Bristol helpline for free on 0800 694 0184, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm.

Bristol’s Quality of Life survey: The Impact of the cost of living crisis is significant

Results from 2023’s Quality of Life survey highlights the impact the national cost of living crisis is having on Bristol residents. Unfortunately, there are increases in residents worries about everyday life, costs and functions. Almost half of participants are extremely or moderately worried about keeping their home warm this winter.

Across Bristol there are many people having to choose between putting food on the table and heating their homes, a choice that no one should have to make in 2023. Our city’s advice services are incredibly busy with people asking for help and advice on managing money and debt, and there are so many people concerned with how they will pay their rent or energy bills next month.

With the national cost of living crisis having a staggering impact on so many people across our city, it is unsurprising that themes associated with it have come through strongest in our annual Quality of Life survey. Now in its 23rd year, the Quality of Life survey is an extensive annual residents’ survey for Bristol.

This year’s survey saw a total of around 4,000 responses. Overall, 62% of people reported being satisfied with life: a significant drop from before the pandemic, when satisfaction rates were 75%. In particular, food insecurity is notably worse than last year and pre-pandemic. 8% of respondents told us they are now experiencing moderate or worse food insecurity, but this is doubling to 16% in the most deprived areas.

Everyone has seen a huge increase in their energy bills, and this does not seem to be stopping. Analysis from Investec forecasts the energy price cap for households will fall to £2,478 in the summer, which may ease some of the pressure on citizens struggling to cope, but is still far too high for most. A new question added to the survey this year asked if people were “worried about keeping their home warm this winter”, answers show almost half (48%) are extremely or moderately worried, rising to 62% of people in deprived areas. Over the winter months this concern has been addressed with a network of Welcoming Spaces, where people can keep warm, socialise with others, and access support. People’s satisfaction with the cost of rent or their mortgage (49%) also fell significantly, a 10% drop compared to 2019.

I know that these past few months have been incredibly tough for so many. Remember, you are not alone. If you are struggling to put food on the table or to pay your energy bills, please reach out. If you just need some basic advice around money management and budgeting, please reach out. You do not need to be in crisis before asking for support, it’s better to ask the questions and get advice before you get to that point.

Aside from the cost of living, a new question asking if people “feel unsafe from sexual harassment using public transport in Bristol” shows 8% of respondents overall feel unsafe; 12% of women feel unsafe but this doubles to 25% of young women aged 16-24 feeling unsafe. This is essential data for us as we continue work on vital initiatives, such as the city’s Women’s Safety Charter, to help tackle gender inequality, women’s safety and to make Bristol a fair and inclusive city.

On a positive note, citizens’ satisfaction with Bristol’s household waste (74%) and recycling services (73%) both rose significantly last year and are above pre-pandemic levels. Those who think “air quality and traffic pollution is a problem locally” has fallen significantly to 70%, much improved on pre-pandemic levels, and has also seen improvement in the most deprived areas (63%). However, the satisfaction with the local bus services continues to fall significantly (38% from 49%) and this fell even further in the most deprived areas (34% from 49%).

You can read the full Quality of Life survey headline report on the Bristol City Council website. The full range of 2022/23 indicators will be published in March via the Data Dashboard on www.bristol.gov.uk/qualityoflife, with a final report to follow. The 2022 survey consisted of 75 questions that will produce around 190 indicators, on topics such as health, lifestyles, community, local services and living in Bristol.

If you need support or advice with the cost of living please reach out, there are organisations that can help you. Visit the Bristol City Council cost of living webpage or call the We Are Bristol helpline for free on 0800 694 0184 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

There are also things you can do for yourself as well to help you manage your money or debt. Citizens Advice has a budgeting tool to help you understand what you’re earning and spending and where you might be able to cut costs. They also have a debt remedy tool. You can find out if you’re eligible for Pension Credit and how much you could get on the government website. Bristol City Council’s benefits calculator will help you find out what benefits you can claim. Citizens Advice Bristol are also running drop-in sessions at some of the city’s Welcoming Spaces to provide people with practical guidance around benefits, money, debt and energy.

How Bristol is helping its citizens with the energy crisis  

Councillor Kye Dudd, smiling, with College Green in the background.
Today’s blog is by Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet
Member for Climate, Ecology, Waste, and Energy
and Labour Councillor for Southmead ward

As the national cost of living crisis continues into the New Year, many households across Bristol remain in financial difficulty. Our cost of living support site has a dedicated page signposting citizens in need of help with their energy bills. 

Across Bristol, charities and organisations are stepping up to support citizens in helping with bills and making their homes warmer and more energy efficient. 

Bristol Energy Network (BEN) will be attending the New Monday event at The Galleries in Broadmead on Monday 16 January, between 11am and 2pm, to offer guidance and advice to citizens looking to reduce their energy use and save money. There will also be a dedicated Energy drop-in morning at Easton Community Centre on Tuesday 24 January between 10am and 12pm. 

For people working or volunteering in their communities, BEN will be running free, online ‘Energy Help Desk’ training sessions. If you’re interested in attending, please contact coordinator@bristolenergynetwork.org for dates and times. 

Last month we shared a guest blog from the Centre for Sustainable Energy, who provide support to people experiencing fuel poverty, including advice for what to do if you can’t pay your bills, ideas for how to stay warm for less plus a useful tool that tells you how much electricity common appliances use: what uses watt?  

Older buildings across Bristol are less likely to be insulated, so a great way to make your home warmer is to draughtproof and insulate where possible. The Centre for Sustainable Energy have ideas for lower cost options with their DIY draughtproofing tips, and you can hear from Bristol resident Simon on how they made their home more warm and comfortable in his short film: 

Households aren’t the only ones struggling with rising energy costs; charities, community organisations, and small businesses in Bristol are also feeling the pinch. Bristol Climate Hub have tips for making your community building energy efficient and Bristol Green Capital Partnership have a guide to reducing emissions from energy for businesses.

Making our homes and premises more energy efficient will not only help households and organisations save money but will help reduce Bristol’s carbon emissions. 2022 was the hottest year since records began and many countries across the globe are reporting that this month is their hottest January. We’ve also seen more and more extreme weather events in recent years.  

Overuse of energy is a primary contributor to climate change, so by reducing energy use, we’re all helping Bristol reach its goal to be net zero by 2030. 

A heating engineer checking a boiler.

Our administration has secured the City Leap partnership, creating 1,000 new jobs and reducing 140,000 tonnes of emissions over its first five years. It will, amongst other things, deliver energy efficiency measures, renewables and decarbonisation projects to the council’s corporate estate reducing our emissions. As part of the project’s initial £424 million investment, energy efficiency and renewable energy measures will be delivered across the council’s social housing. You can find out what else the council are doing to reduce our own energy use on Our climate action on electricity and Our climate action on heat and buildings web pages. 

The council, however, is responsible for around 0.5% of the city’s emissions, meaning we need organisations and homes to play their part. Last year, we launched the Bristol Climate Ask, which encourages Bristol businesses and organisations to declare their ambition to work towards net zero, it’s great to see so many signing up and reporting that many of their measure are proving good for business. 

If you’re not effected by the cost-of-living crisis and would like to help those who are struggling, you can donate to the Share the Warmth appeal (Centre for Sustainable Energy), Bristol Emergency Winter Fuel Fund (Bristol Energy Network) or Donate to the Local Crisis Prevention Fund: Discretionary Giving. 

Urgent appeal launches for more Bristol foster carers

Today we are launching an urgent fostering appeal, asking Bristolians to take on the hugely important role of giving a home to a child in care.

Why now?

We’re calling on residents across the city to become foster carers following a steady decline in the number of people coming forward to foster with the council. At the same time, the number of children coming into care is continuing to rise.

We now have more than 750 children and young people in care in Bristol but only 353 fostering households in our city through the council. We are incredibly grateful to every single one of them for their support. But, unfortunately, it’s not enough. 

Because of the shortage of foster carers and the increase in demand, we need to place around 40 per cent of our children with private fostering agencies, or, in some cases, in children’s homes. Although a necessity, it can sadly lead to sibling groups being separated and children needing to live outside of our city, away from their communities, schools and friends.

That’s why we’re running an urgent appeal for the first three months of 2023, to encourage potential foster carers to come forward and offer local children secure and loving homes.

Previous response

When we reached out to you in 2020 with an appeal for emergency foster carers – to help us place a high number of children in short-term care during the pandemic – your response was incredible.

It resulted in twice the usual number of enquiries about fostering, leading to an extra 24 households being approved as emergency foster carers.

We need people to step up again as we’re at crisis point. This time we’re again looking for all types of foster carers – from short to long term as well as weekends and short breaks.

Who can foster?

If you have space in your homes and in your lives for a child who desperately needs you, please contact us to find out more about becoming one of our incredible foster carers. All you need is a spare room and to be over 21 years of age.

Foster carers come from every sector of society, income level, ethnic group, religion and sexual orientation.

You don’t need any qualifications to become a foster carer, but it helps if you already have experience with children or caring for people – whether that’s with your own family, childminding, or having worked in a caring profession.

Why foster with us

Bristol is not the only local authority to be facing a critical shortage of foster carers. It’s a national trend experienced in many parts of the country. One possible reason is the increased cost of living we are all facing. That’s why we’re offering a welcome grant of £500 to you, along with a weekly allowance and other benefits, when you start your journey with us as an approved foster carer.

Unlike fostering agencies that are run for profit, all our funding is spent on supporting local children through difficult times, placing them with kind and loving carers in homes where they can feel safe and thrive. 

All our foster carers get one-to-one support from a dedicated social worker, as well as training and skills opportunities, and wellbeing support so to be the best possible carers to Bristol children.

We also offer a range of benefits, such as free access to Everyone Active leisure centres and free events, such as theatre trips and social events at parks. 

What’s more, when you foster with us, you become part of a wider fostering family through Bristol Foster Carers Association, which links you up to other local foster carers and looked after children, which is a useful support network to draw on.

What it’s really like

Our foster carers tell us that, despite the challenges, fostering is the most rewarding thing they’ve done.

Alex Kear, a bus driver with First Bus, has been fostering with his husband for 11 years. He’s shared with us the impact fostering has had on his life and the lives of the children they’ve welcomed into their family.

Alex Kear

Alex told us: “The best bit is seeing children having fun, being relaxed and able to enjoy life which was difficult when living at home.

“It’s a joy to be able to see them progressing at school and achieving good results and making new friends in the fostering community. 

“The advice I would give to people considering fostering is to do it. It can be very rewarding to see the children you look after turning difficult corners in their lives that you have supported them through.”

If you’ve been thinking about opening up your home to a child who needs stability, love and support, now is the time to act.

It’s a lot to consider, which is why we recommend contacting our fostering team first for an information pack and an informal chat.

Visit our fostering website to find out more or call Bristol Fostering on 0117 353 4200.

Charitable Giving at Christmas

Councillor Ellie King, smiling, standing on the ramp of Bristol City Hall
Today’s blog is from Councillor Ellie King, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities

Christmas is known as the season of goodwill, and many people associate that with being generous to those less fortunate than themselves. However, the national cost of living crisis is having a huge impact on people in Bristol and I know this will be really difficult for many this year.

Having said that, Bristol never ceases to amaze me in how we come together and help others in their time of need. I am aware of some generous people who are wanting to give back to others this Christmas, whether that’s donating money, volunteering, or donating food. Time and time again, Bristol residents support each other. We saw it during the COVID-19 pandemic and we are seeing it again now.

Of course, you don’t need to donate money or food to make a difference. For you it could be picking up the phone to a family member or friend who you’ve not heard from in a while or checking on an elderly neighbour. There are also volunteering opportunities listed on the Can Do Bristol website.

If you are in the position to and want to help others with money or donations, here are a few ways you can do this:

Bristol Energy Network is doing great work to raise £100,000 to help Bristolians who are struggling to pay their energy bills. They’ve launched the Bristol Emergency Winter Fuel Fund, a city-wide crowdfund to be distributed by five community partners: Ambition Lawrence Weston, Heart of BS13, Re:work, Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust, and Eastside Community Trust.  If you’d like to donate or want to find out more about the fund, who is eligible and how it’ll work, visit their Just Giving page. Alternatively, you could also donate money to a council fund designed to support low-income households who can’t afford the basics like food, gas, electricity, or household goods. Donations can be made on the Bristol City Council website.

While these two funds will be supporting residents specifically, Quartet Community Foundation is raising money for community groups who support our citizens. Quartet’s Cost of Living Fund will help these groups ensure local people and communities can mobilise much needed support and advice. Quartet has a number of grant programmes that charities, voluntary or community organisations can apply to and any money that you donate will go towards these. These community groups did so much for residents during COVID-19 but they’re doing even more with less now. Some of them are opening their doors as Welcoming Spaces and will be facing their own rising energy prices – this fund will help them continue their fantastic work. If you would like to donate to the Cost of Living Fund, visit the Quartet website.

We’ve previously referred to our One City approach to this crisis, with community organisations all coming together to make a difference to residents’ lives. As part of this approach a network of Welcoming Spaces were opened across the city, with 84 now available for all residents to access. A map and list of these are all listed on the Bristol City Council website.  If you would like to support a space close to you with donations, get in touch with them and see what they need.

There are so many people having to choose between paying bills and eating, something that Feeding Bristol noted as being routine practice for some residents. If you would like to help provide food to people this winter, many supermarkets have drop-off points to donate food. Alternatively, you could donate to your local foodbank or club but you’ll need to check with them in advance to find out what items they need. You can find details of the city’s foodbanks on the council’s cost of living support webpage.

If you need any cost of living support or advice visit the council’s cost of living support webpage or call the We Are Bristol helpline for free on 0800 694 0184 between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday. It will not be available on the Christmas bank holidays. Many local organisations are closing over the Christmas period but there will be a section on the webpage shortly with national helplines that will be available to help you should you need it.

Wellspring Settlement, one of Bristol’s Welcoming Spaces

Haylee Cowley, smiling and looking to her right, behind her is Arnos Vale cemetery cafe.
Today’s guest blog is from Haylee Cowley,
Communications Manager at Wellspring Settlement

Bristol City Council’s Welcoming Spaces scheme has given us the chance to further support our local community over the next few months.

Wellspring Settlement has had a café at the Ducie Road site for years, and after it closed during the pandemic there was a big push to get it open again. Being a Welcoming Space has given us the freedom to think beyond just being a café – it’s now a real community hub! People can turn up and stay as long as they like, and as the food and drink is pay-what-you-feel, there’s no pressure for them to buy anything in order to stay.

The café itself is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11am to 1.30pm, but people are welcome to come and make use of the space even if the café is shut. There is an over 55’s group, who meet up on a Monday between 11am and 1pm, where people are welcome to come along and take advantage of the free hot drinks and biscuits. They can also speak to a tech volunteer and ask any questions they have around using their smartphone or laptop.

People are able to charge their phones and laptops here for as long as they need to. This means they can stay online to manage bills, check emails, and stay connected with friends and family. We’ve got a host of activities running alongside the café, and a children’s corner with toys and books.

We also offer information about the other services on offer at Wellspring Settlement, which include money advice, support in accessing other community activities, family services, community arts, physical activities and more.

All the food we’re serving is hot and healthy, with veggie and halal options. It’s all cooked by us – except on the days when we have our guest cooks from the Bristol Somali Women’s group who are serving up some amazing meals every Thursday.

One of the highlights of being a Welcoming Space is that it’s created volunteering opportunities for local people. We’ve got volunteers who are giving their time to help out, and also developing valuable skills that will help them in the future. To connect with volunteering opportunities, check the Can Do Bristol website.

Wellspring Settlement has a really positive atmosphere, and it’s great to see people of all ages and backgrounds enjoying each other’s company. People are enjoying the food and we’ve had a mix of people taking up the offer of a free meal, and people who are able to make a donation. The children’s corner has been really popular, with mums hanging out there rather than having to keep buying cups of tea to stay in a café.

We are very aware that for some people the worst of the national cost of living crisis, is yet to come. We have been lucky with a warm autumn so far, but temperatures have started to drop.

Residents in Barton Hill are likely to be among the hardest hit by increased energy and food bills, both of which are factors that contribute to wider health issues. Many local people live in poor housing which will only become worse if not heated over winter, and they already struggle to afford and cook healthy food.

We’re happy at the moment that the space is being established as one that is truly welcoming, whatever the need might be. As we move into winter, we’re confident our community will know where they can go to access healthy, hot food, save on bills, and find support from each other, from Wellspring Settlement and community and city partners.

If you need any cost of living advice or support visit the Bristol City Council cost of living support webpage to find organisations who can help you. You can also call the We Are Bristol helpline for free on 0800 694 0184, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm.

Surviving winter: energy saving support from the Centre for Sustainable Energy

Today’s guest blog is from Lisa Evans from the Centre for Sustainable Energy

Everyone across Bristol has seen a huge increase in their energy bills. With the wider national cost of living crisis, more and more people are worried about turning on their heating because they simply can’t afford it.

The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is a charity supporting people and organisations to tackle the climate emergency and end the suffering caused by cold homes. Every day, CSE energy advisors speak to Bristol people struggling with energy bills or expensive heating systems, or in cold and draughty homes.

It’s estimated around 6.5 million households in the UK are in fuel poverty. Fuel poverty is when people must spend a high proportion of their income to keep their home warm. Expensive energy tariffs and low incomes mean people can’t afford to keep warm. In 2020, government stats found around 14% of households across Bristol were in fuel poverty but this number will be much higher now, in line with national trends.

Huge demand for energy saving advice and debt support

CSE is experiencing a fourfold demand for our services. As well as a growth in demand, there’s also been a big shift in the type of advice we are giving. We are speaking to many people whose mental health is suffering. Callers are increasingly having to make tough choices about essentials like energy, food and clothes.

Working together across the city

The CSE energy advice website is a great place to start if you need energy advice or support.

We offer a Tenants Advice (TEA) service for Bristol City Council social housing tenants and Warm Homes and Money (WHAM), our fuel poverty partnership single point of contact service.

CSE’s freephone telephone advice service supports tens of thousands of people every year. But the charity does not have funding to cover the costs of increased demand. CSE has subsidised the service using its charitable reserves for the last five years but is no longer able to sustain this. Please support our Share the Warmth Appeal.

The Centre for Sustainable Energy Office, four men working on their computers.

How to save energy in your community building

If you run, lease or own a community building you’re probably thinking about the rising cost of energy bills and how this is going to impact how your building is used. We’ve got some energy saving tips for this here.

How you can lower your energy bills this winter

Read your meter:

Keep on top of your energy meter readings and pass them on to your fuel supplier. This will make sure you only pay for what you use, and not paying an estimation. Find out how to do this here.

Save money by using your heating controls properly:


Decent central heating controls can help you heat your home efficiently and makes sure you don’t waste money or heat. Find out how to do this here or watch these videos. If you have night storage heaters, here is some information on how to use them well.

Avoid leaking heat:

In poorly built homes heat can leak through walls, windows, roofs and doors, which wastes energy and money. Insulating your whole house can be costly, but it can save money in the long run. You can install some low-cost measures yourself, such as draughtproofing to stop warm air escaping or fitting low-cost secondary glazing if double glazing is too costly or you’re not allowed to install it in your home.

The Cold Homes Energy Efficiency Survey Experts Project is a Bristol-based not-for-profit Community Interest Company that carries out surveys to see where your home is losing heat. Surveys start at £135 but are free to people who live in buildings that lose a lot of heat or can’t afford to heat their homes.

Should I turn off the heating to save money?

We don’t advise anyone to turn off their heating because this could cause complications with health conditions or lead to damp and mould. Keep your heating between 18-21°. Around 8,500 people die every year due to cold homes and this number is sadly expected to rise this winter. You can find out more about cold homes and health here.

What else could I be doing to save energy?

Activities like washing clothes, dishwashing, showers and cooking all add up. Taking steps to reduce the frequency or time spent doing these will help save money. You can find out how much energy typical appliances use here.

Look out for green deals. The Bright Green Homes scheme allows eligible households to receive up to £25,000 of funding to install a range of energy saving technologies through the government’s Home Upgrade Grant. This could range from loft and cavity wall insulation to solar panels and air source heat pumps. Find out about eligibility.

I’m in debt with my energy supplier
Don’t ignore the bills, they won’t go away. We advise people to engage with their supplier and pay what you can. All suppliers have an obligation to help their customers.

You ca also visit Bristol City Council’s money advice page or cost of living support webpage for more information on managing money, benefits and support available. Finally, you should take a look at the budgeting tool on the Citizens Advice website.

A Christmas gift for Bristol’s foster carers

Councillor Asher Craig, smiling, with a bush behind her.
Councillor Asher Craig, Cabinet Member for

Some Bristol residents are currently having to choose between heating their homes and putting food in their cupboards. The impact of the current cost of living crisis is being felt right across the city.

Our foster carers are amazing, providing a safe and nurturing home to children in Bristol – sadly, we know the cost of living crisis is causing further anxieties for them on top of the challenges they already face.

In April we raised the allowances and fees for our foster carers, who now receive up to £458 a week for each child they look after as well as extra for birthdays and holidays.  

However, with inflation and interest rates going up, we knew we wanted and needed to do more.

We are providing foster carers with a one-off payment of £400 in the lead up to Christmas, to give them a helping hand going into the festive period.

We hope this will take some of the financial pressure off, while we explore more ways to further support our amazing foster carers.

Welcome payment to new foster carers

A carer opening a Christmas present with a young boy.

The main reason carers decide to start fostering, is because they care about and want to help children in Bristol.

Deciding to open your home to a child, or children, who need help is a huge decision to make. Financial planning is an essential part of this process.

Here in Bristol we desperately need more people to come forward to foster, helping us to keep children that need our support close to their communities, schools and people important to them.

As an added incentive, we have agreed a grant of £500 for all our new foster carers when they start caring for their first child, as a welcome to the council’s fostering community.

We understand how tight household budgets are, especially for carers. We hope this will encourage more people to consider starting their fostering journey with us.  

Budget consultation

A foster carer and young girl smiling, whilst opening Christmas stockings.

In light of Bristol City Council’s budget consultation, highlighting the need to reduce our costs and generate more income, some people might be asking if now is the right time to offer new and existing foster carers more money.

The answer is yes. Foster carers play a vital role in our city, caring for children when their own parents or family are unable to.

If fostering becomes unaffordable, we run the risk of losing our valued foster carers and letting children down who are in need of our support.

If we can’t place children with our own foster carers, we need to use more expensive, independent fostering agencies that often place children outside the city.

Our foster carers also have access to a raft of support, training and development, and are part of a wider network of local carers, giving them the right skills and support to be able to care for the children we place with them.  

We are incredibly proud of all our foster carers and so grateful for all they do. We wish them and their families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

You can find out more about fostering with the council on our Fostering Bristol website where you can make an enquiry and order an information pack. You can also call our fostering team to have an informal chat by calling 0117 353 4200.

If you are struggling with the cost of living, visit www.bristol.gov.uk/costofliving for advice and guidance. You can also call the We Are Bristol helpline for free on 0800 694 0184, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.

You can give your views on our budget proposal until midnight on Friday 23 December 2022 online via the council’s website. To request an alternative format, contact our Consultation and Engagement Team by emailing consultation@bristol.gov.uk or by calling 0117 922 2848. 

Your Holiday Hub reopens for winter

Young people and parents attend a pond, with an allotment in the background. This is at Your Holiday Hub's activities club.

Lots of children and young people look forward to this time of year, two weeks off school, Christmas decorations, presents and festive food. However, the winter holidays can also be a very challenging time for many families in Bristol. This year is especially difficult due to the added financial pressures that come with the current cost of living crisis. Our children and young people are often the most affected when it comes to crises such as this.

I am invested in supporting and inspiring young people in ways that helps relieve some of these added pressures. Now, well into its second year the Your Holiday Hub programme, funded by the UK Government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, will be returning to offer eligible children and young people access to free holiday activities and food this winter holiday.

Children and young people aged 4 to 16 years old, who are eligible, and in-receipt of free school meals will be able to access free holiday activities and food during the school holiday (19 December to 30 December). Activities this winter range from festive arts and crafts, cooking workshops and Ninja Warrior. During the sessions, young people are encouraged to learn new skills, forge new friendships and have fun in the meantime.

A young girl, smiling, holding a paint brush. This is at Your Holiday Hub's activities club.

At the heart of the Your Holiday Hub programme is food. Food should be a source of connection, and comfort. However, for many families who are struggling to afford to pay the bills, food can become a source of stress. Bristol has been working towards child equality over the school holidays since 2019 with the Bristol partnership The Healthy Holidays programme, led by Feeding Bristol and FareShare, which sought to create a city where no child goes hungry during the school holidays. As part of the Your Holiday Hub offering, with each four-hour activity, children and young people will receive a hot meal as well as learn about food, nutrition and healthy living through interactive workshops and classes.

Eligible families will also receive free school meal vouchers for the full winter holiday. These vouchers will be distributed through the schools.

Huge thanks go out to all the wonderful organisations across Bristol who organise holiday activities and food delivery for the Your Holiday Hub programme.

A full list of organisations and activities is available on the Your Holiday Hub website.  

Bristol is in it together

Today’s blog is by Jeff Mitchell, Founder
of Clean Slate Training and Employment

Many Bristol residents on low incomes are worrying about how they will get through the cost of living crisis. As a result, they are starting to think about finding new work, better paid work or even extra work.

The cost of living crisis, and the pandemic, brought truth to the phrase ‘in it together’. Clean Slate has been helping Bristolians on low incomes become more financially stable since 2006. We help people find ways to stretch a limited budget, find new work or better work and get online.

Quids in!, our money skills programme, includes an easy-read magazine, guides, emails and web tools. Our service users and readers are disproportionately affected by the national cost of living crisis, more so than affluent residents in the city.

In 2018, our reader survey found 48 per cent of working age people who are not in full-time employment were skipping meals on account of troubles with money. 51 per cent were turning off their heating despite being cold. 68 per cent felt frightened, anxious or depressed. This was before the pandemic, before the war in Ukraine and before the cost of living crisis. Working class people are suffering even more now than before.

In October, we launched our #ThinkBiggerThanBills campaign. We called on people struggling with bills to look at more than just cutting back. At least £15 billion of benefits are unclaimed, so we should all start by checking if there’s anything more we’re entitled to, you can do this by using our benefits calculator. People who are not online could be hundreds of pounds better off by ‘going digital’ because they’re able to shop around, find advice and access support. Finally, using our money health-check could also unlock massive savings as it uncovers the tips no-one else is telling us.

During the pandemic, Clean Slate helped over 2,000 people save roughly an average £1,000 by taking a simple money health-check. Now we’re able to offer it face-to-face from locations across the city as well as by phone. Anyone on a low income who is worried about bills can get in touch (Contact us here). Unemployed people will be put to the front of our queue.

People often just want to regain control of their finances. Throughout lockdown, people on our six-week support programme found they could start turning things around. The future seemed brighter, and they asked if we could help them find work.

There are now more available jobs than unemployed people. With the current cost of living crisis, for those who are able to work, it might now be the right time. Not everyone is ready for formal support or training, which is why Bristol’s One Front Door is so important. Every kind of jobhunting support is listed in one place. It takes a ‘horses for courses’ approach… even for horses who don’t like courses!

Clean Slate is one programme on offer and jobseekers can find out about our 7 Signs events. Here people explore their skills that could be on offer to employers, building their confidence. Attendees devise ways to present their skills in CVs that are unique and motivating. They practice personal statements, giving them a helping hand in interviews.

Our Elements scheme is for people who have experienced hardship. We are recruiting people whose life experience is more valuable to us than formal training. They are central Clean Slate’s cause.

We are recruiting people whose life experience is more valuable to us than formal training. Have you been on benefits? Are you struggling with money? Have you been unemployed for a while? We will provide training and a 12-week paid work placement as a Peer Worker. By the end, you’ll be able to be able to apply for a support worker role with us or another employer. We also have paid placements for people wanting to help older people and those who need support. Together, we can step up.

Clean Slate is at the frontline of the current cost of living crisis and Bristol needs you! We are part of a wider, joint effort across all kinds of support, advice, health, housing and financial services.

Bristol’s ‘One City’ approach to the cost of living crisis showcases that we really are all in it together.

For further cost of living support visit the Bristol City Council website or call the We Are Bristol helpline on 0800 694 0184, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm.