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‘The most important impact we have is helping someone feel less alone’
Every year, as Bristol moves into winter, the pressures facing many households become sharper.
Christmas should be a time of warmth, connection and celebration, yet for thousands of people across our city it is also the moment when financial strain, insecurity and isolation are felt most intensely. 2025 is no exception.
At Citizens Advice Bristol, we have seen the reality of this growing need more clearly than ever. We supported 5,811 people over the past twelve months, an increase of more than 1,000 compared to the year before.
In 2025 alone, the charity has supported over 5,00 people and addressed more than 29,000 issues ranging from benefits and debt to employment and housing
Behind every one of those numbers is someone trying to navigate rising energy bills, unaffordable rents, insecure work, mounting debt or a crisis that has arrived without warning. These are not abstract statistics. They are neighbours, colleagues, carers, parents, students and retirees. They are Bristol.
The challenges people face are also becoming more complex. The average client now needs six separate contacts to resolve their issue and some need far more.
One case in 2025 required 113 individual interactions. This is not because people are asking for more. It is because the systems they must navigate have become harder to manage, and at the same time, support from many central services has reduced.
Yet the story in 2025 is not only one of rising need. It is also one of determination, collaboration and hope.
When we reopened our full face-to-face service, we saw just how important in-person advice is for residents who are digitally excluded, in crisis or simply overwhelmed.
Volunteers and advisers meet with people experiencing a huge range of needs, including those who are hard of hearing or deaf, non-English speakers, people who have neurodiversity, and those with a range of mental health problems in highly stressed situations. We also support domestic abuse survivors in private spaces.
Our team listen without judgement and finds a way forward.
Eight in ten people who came to us said their problem was solved. Three in four told us they could not have resolved their issue without support. These moments of relief and stability matter, especially at this time of year.
One of the most uplifting parts of my role is witnessing the strength of Bristol’s advice community. Citizens Advice Bristol is one part of a wide ecosystem that includes foodbanks, Bristol Mind, housing organisations, community groups, legal clinics and access to justice partners. These collaborations are not abstract partnerships. They are practical, everyday acts of teamwork that help people stay warm, fed, housed and supported.
If you want a reason to feel hopeful this Christmas, you will find it in the volunteers whose dedication makes our service possible. In 2025, 67 trained volunteers contributed almost half a million pounds worth of time and expertise. They bring empathy, insight and a commitment to Bristol that no financial measure can fully capture. They show what is possible when a community chooses to look after one another.
Partnerships also sit at the heart of our work. The support of our funders and patrons allows us to stay open, innovate and reach people at the moments when they are most vulnerable. The collaboration we have developed with Bristol Mind is a good example of the joined-up approach Bristol does so well.
When organisations work together, residents do not have to tell their story twice or navigate complicated systems alone. Instead, they receive connected support that treats them as whole people rather than a set of issues. The value this creates for the city is significant.
Our work in 2025 has generated millions of pounds in public value. This includes savings to public services, wider economic and social benefits, and millions of pounds of direct financial gains for the people we help. At a time when budgets are tight and demand is rising, this kind of early intervention is not only compassionate but essential.
Still, the most important impact we have is often the simplest: helping someone feel less alone.
As we approach Christmas, many people in Bristol are carrying silent burdens. Not every hardship is shared with family or friends. But support does exist, and none of us are without places to turn. Citizens Advice Bristol is here to help. So are countless community organisations across the city.
This season invites us to reflect on what kind of community we want to be. If the past year has shown anything, it is that Bristol is a city that shows up. A city where volunteers give their time freely, where partners share knowledge generously, and where people work together to protect those who are most at risk.
There is plenty still to do, and the pressures will not ease overnight. But there is also so much to be grateful for. This Christmas, I’m grateful for our volunteers, our colleagues, our funders, our partners and the resilience of the people we serve. Together we can continue to build a Bristol where no one faces crisis alone.
This is an opinion piece by Jon Shoesmith, the CEO of Citizens Advice Bristol
Main photo: Citizens Advice Bristol
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