The increasing and worsening levels of poverty in the city have been exacerbated by austerity, the Covid pandemic and most recently the cost-of-living crisis. Over the past year there has been an increasing demand for advice services, whilst advice agencies have been impacted by severe inflationary pressures. In addition to maintaining the existing provision the funding will be used to enhance advice provision within the city which will help to support more people through both generalist and specialist services. This will offer residents an enhanced level of service during the cost-of living crisis, through increasing both access to advice and the specialist advice areas of Housing, Benefits and Debt, and Immigration advice.