04/11/2025
We were pleased to join Kerry McCarthy and staff from other local advice agencies in Parliament to talk about the vital role advice agencies play across Bristol. Yet, the sector continues to face significant workforce challenges.
Though is over, we continue to back the AdviceUK campaign for National Advice Workforce Strategies to ensure long-term investment in the people who provide this essential support.
Read the report and find out more here: https://bit.ly/47qxUqw
Advice agencies and their staff do fantastic work across Bristol, providing invaluable advice and support for people who are often going through a very tough time and feeling very alone. From difficulties with debt and bills, to issues with housing, immigration and public services, they've helped turn numerous people's lives around. My caseworkers work closely with them, and really appreciate the role they play in Bristol.
Last week in Parliament, I joined staff from St Paul’s Advice Centre, Housing Matters, Talking Money and Centre For Sustainable Energy to discuss how essential and important the advice sector is, and the challenges it faces in the future. Whilst they all achieve incredible outcomes for their clients across Bristol, they raised the real difficulty around recruiting and retaining staff.
The Government is increasing civil legal aid fees and returning to multi-year settlements for local authorities, which I hope will address some of the funding issues plaguing the sector. But we also need to inspire and encourage a new generation of expert advisers who can carry on this work for years to come. If you're considering a career in advice work, or want to volunteer, then I'd be happy to put you in touch.