Bristol Hate Crime and Discrimination Services offer a free and confidential support service to victims of hate crime, including emotional support, support through the legal process, and support making complaints.

Bristol Hate Crime and Discrimination Services Partnership website

Bristol Law Centre is a charity providing free information and legal advice on specialist areas of social welfare law to people who could not otherwise afford access to justice, as well as representing these clients in court.

Bristol Law Centre website

Citizens Advice Bristol provide free, independent, impartial, and confidential advice on issues such as benefits, housing, debt, and family law.

Citizens Advice Bristol website

GRT Bristol is Bristol City Council’s information resource for Gypsy, Roma, Travellers and Boatpeople. Support is also provided through dedicated drop-in centres.

GRT Bristol website

Off The Record BANES provide a range of free services for children and young people, including counselling, advocacy, listening support, and targeted support for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Off The Record (Bath and North East Somerset) website

Off The Record (Bristol and South Gloucestershire) provide a range of free services for children and young people, including counselling, projects and activities, support groups, and targeted support for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Off The Record (Bristol & South Glos) website

POhWER provides a range of advocacy services in Bristol:

• Community / Outreach Advocacy, for adults with learning disabilities and/or mental health needs who need support with a particular issue
• Citizen Advocacy, for people with learning disabilities, mental health needs, physical/sensory impairment, and/or older people who need support with health and wellbeing issues

POhWER – Bristol Advocacy Services website

Resolve West is an independent, charitable organisation with over 30 years’ experience of providing a confidential service to people experiencing conflict or crime. Their expertise is in helping individuals and communities to resolve their differences,with services offered to those living in Bristol and the surrounding areas of Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset.

Resolve West is also one of the organisations involved in the Bristol Hate Crime and Discrimination Service.

Resolve West website

Shelter provide advice, information, support, and legal aid legal services to individuals who are experiencing issues with housing, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

Shelter (Bristol services) website

Shire Advice Service provides information, advice, and advocacy covering welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment rights, consumer issues and family issues to people in the Shirehampton area of Bristol.

Shire Advice Service website

St Pauls Advice Centre offers free advice on financial matters, employment, housing, immigration, and a number of other matters to the people of St Pauls. Legal advice, and advice in languages other than English, are also available.

St Pauls Advice Centre website

SWAN (South West Advocacy Network) offer a range of advocacy services in Bristol:

• VOCAS (Victims of Crime Advocacy Service), allowing adult victims of crime to access advocacy and practical and emotional support to cope, recover, and engage with the criminal justice system.
• Independent Care Act Advocacy, for individuals with a substantial difficulty going through a care act process without an appropriate person they would like to support them.
• Independent Mental Health Act Advocacy (IMHA), providing advocacy to individuals under the Mental Health Act
• Independent Mental Capacity Act Advocacy (IMCA), providing advocacy to vulnerable adults who lack the ability to make important decisions and do not have family or friends to help them.

SWAN advocacy – Bristol Services website

SWAN (South West Advocacy Network) offer a range of advocacy services in South Gloucestershire:

• VOCAS (Victims of Crime Advocacy Service), allowing adult victims of crime to access advocacy and practical and emotional support to cope, recover, and engage with the criminal justice system.
• Independent Care Act Advocacy, for individuals with a substantial difficulty going through a care act process without an appropriate person they would like to support them.
• Independent Mental Health Act Advocacy (IMHA), providing advocacy to individuals under the Mental Health Act
• Independent Mental Capacity Act Advocacy (IMCA), providing advocacy to vulnerable adults who lack the ability to make important decisions and do not have family or friends to help them.
• Generic Advocacy, issue-based and time limited advocacy for adults.

SWAN Advocacy – South Gloucestershire Services website

The University of Bristol’s Law Clinic provides pro-bono legal advice. The service is currently fully remote, and help can only be provided to individuals who are able to email their documents to the service.

University of Bristol Law Clinic website

Victim Support offer free, independent, and confidential advice and support to anyone who has been affected by crime, including a 24-hour helpline, and advocacy for victims of domestic abuse.

Victim Support website

Provider of advocacy services in South Gloucestershire.

VoiceAbility website