Help When You Need It is a confidential, free and friendly service funded by Bristol City Council, to help people over the age of 55 who live within the Bristol local authority boundaries and are in need of support.
All referrals are followed up with an assessment of your individual circumstances. We work with you to create a personalised set of outcomes and give you the support needed to achieve them.
We can support you to:
- Maintain accommodation/tenancy or secure accommodation
- Self-manage physical health and wellbeing
- Manage mental health and wellbeing
- Maximise income, reduce debts, or find paid work
- Prevent loneliness and isolation
- Stay safe
How to access the service
All referrals will be followed up by an assessment visit to determine the type of support you will receive. This will vary based on your circumstances, and we will identify outcomes and support you to achieve them. It can be time-limited, but the service aims to provide help when it is needed. If you reach your outcomes but later need further support, you can re-refer.
Referrals can be made by yourself, a relative or a professional. Either complete the referral form online below or download it to print out and return to us by post. If you require further information before you complete the form, please contact us by phone or email.
When we receive your form, you will be contacted by the Service Coordinator to arrange an assessment visit. When we visit, we will confirm whether you are eligible for the service and discuss the level of support you need. Please note that spaces are limited, so you may be placed on a waiting list and prioritised according to your degree of need.
Service opening times
Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Download our HWYNI leaflet
Find out more about our Help When You Need it service by downloading our leaflet.
Download
Download our referral form
Referrals can be made by yourself, a relative or a professional; download the referral form to print out and return to us by post.
DownloadCommonly asked questions
- What is Help When You Need It?
Help When You Need It is a support service funded by Bristol City Council, to help older people living within the Bristol local authority boundaries.
- If I meet the criteria, what support can you offer?
- Support with overall wellbeing, including managing physical and mental health
- Support with mobility or issues related to frailty
- Promotion of self-care, and support with life skills for example, food preparation, advice and prompting on cleaning and hygiene, although we cannot offer personal care
- Support to identify, access and maintain meaningful activities to prevent loneliness and social isolation, such as timely signposting to local community and activity groups and befriending services
- Support with aspects of maintaining tenancy
- Assistance to maintain the safety of the home and report maintenance issues, minor repairs etc.
- Income maximisation checks, completing benefit forms, budgeting
- Moving and resettlement activity including support to source furniture, funding, liaising with utility companies, signing on with GPs. etc.
- Support with maintaining the environment, including referral to Home Improvement Agencies for adaptations and assessments, access to Assistive Technology and Gadgets.
- Support following discharge from hospital, and support to prevent readmission and liaison with social care and outreach agencies.
- Support with finances such as welfare benefits advice and signposting to Money Advice Services (such as BCC’s Welfare Rights and Money Advice Service – WRAMAS) and Citizens Advice.
- Support to feel connected, including support to access the internet and other sources of information.
- Support to access advocacy services.
- Identification and support for carers to prevent carer breakdown.