Balancing the Advice Needs of Bristol Funded by Contents 1. Thanks ................................................................................................................................. 1 2. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 2 3. Demographics and Need ....................................................................................................... 4 3.1. Demographics ......................................................................................................................... 4 Population of Bristol ........................................................................................................................ 4 3.2. Deprivation ............................................................................................................................. 8 3.3. Need ...................................................................................................................................... 12 3.4. Response from Advice Agencies ........................................................................................... 22 Geographical Reach ...................................................................................................... 22 Outreach Services ......................................................................................................... 23 3.5. Client Characteristics ............................................................................................................ 25 4. The Impact of Legal Aid Changes ......................................................................................... 27 4.1. Background ........................................................................................................................... 27 4.2. Review of Legal Aid ............................................................................................................... 29 4.3. The Creation of Advice Deserts ............................................................................................. 31 4.4. Unmet Need .......................................................................................................................... 34 4.5. Exceptional Case Funding ..................................................................................................... 39 4.6. Litigants in Person ................................................................................................................. 40 5. Advice in Bristol .................................................................................................................. 43 5.1. Overview ............................................................................................................................... 43 5.2. Clients .................................................................................................................................... 46 5.3. Funders ................................................................................................................................. 49 6. The Context and Delivery of Advice in Bristol ...................................................................... 54 6.1. Housing ................................................................................................................................. 54 Mix of Tenure ................................................................................................................ 55 Homelessness and Rooflessness ................................................................................... 55 Evictions and Repossession ........................................................................................... 57 Housing Benefit ............................................................................................................. 58 Response from Bristol agencies .................................................................................... 60 6.2. Employment .......................................................................................................................... 61 Response from Bristol Agencies .................................................................................... 64 6.3. Discrimination ....................................................................................................................... 64 Response from Bristol Agencies .................................................................................... 64 6.4. Immigration and Asylum ....................................................................................................... 65 Response from Bristol agencies .................................................................................... 66 6.5. Welfare Benefits ................................................................................................................... 67 Council Tax .................................................................................................................... 67 Local Crises and Prevention Fund ................................................................................. 67 Universal Credit ............................................................................................................. 68 Disability and Sickness Benefits .................................................................................... 68 Response from Bristol agencies: ................................................................................... 71 6.6. Debt ....................................................................................................................................... 72 Response from Bristol agencies: ................................................................................... 74 6.7. Community Care ................................................................................................................... 74 6.8. Mental Health ....................................................................................................................... 74 6.9. Overarching Projects ............................................................................................................. 75 7. Pro Bono Work ................................................................................................................... 77 7.1. Overview ............................................................................................................................... 77 7.2. Provision................................................................................................................................ 78 Support at court/tribunal for Litigants in Person in Bristol and surrounding areas ..... 78 Face to Face One off Advice Provision .......................................................................... 81 University Provision ...................................................................................................... 82 8. Advice Agencies activities and impact in Bristol. .................................................................. 86 9. The Challenges of Digitalising Services ................................................................................. 94 9.1. Provider side – Third sector as a whole ................................................................................ 94 9.2. Advice sectors response........................................................................................................ 96 Internal environment .................................................................................................... 96 Outward facing .............................................................................................................. 97 9.3. Bristol Connectivity and usage ............................................................................................ 101 9.4. Digital capability and skills .................................................................................................. 102 9.5. Telephone advice ................................................................................................................ 106 9.6. Face -to -face advice ........................................................................................................... 108 9.7. Advice by web-cam ............................................................................................................. 109 9.8. New developments and the future ..................................................................................... 112 9.9. Opportunities ...................................................................................................................... 116 10. Responding to the Strategic Needs of Bristol ..................................................................... 117 10.1. Overview ......................................................................................................................... 117 10.2. One City Plan ................................................................................................................... 118 Priority Themes ........................................................................................................... 118 Specific Goals (2019-2029) .......................................................................................... 121 10.3. Bristol City Council Corporate Strategy 2018 -2023 ....................................................... 127 Advice Sector..............................................................................................................