Reablement Consultation

What the service does

Reablement is Bristol-wide, short-term Adult Social Care service. It supports people to get their independence and confidence back after illness, a hospital stay, or a decline in what they can do.

Bristol City Council has a statutory (legal) duty to make sure reablement is available to people who need it in Bristol, but the council does not have to provide the service directly itself. 

The service is free for people using it because its aim is to prevent or reduce the need for longer-term care.

Support is based on the person’s goals and is usually time limited up to 6 weeks.

The service usually supports around 100 people at any one time. Around 2,600 people have started using the service over the past two years. Most people using the service are older adults, with an average age of 79.

The service can include:

• personal care
• medication support
• meal preparation
• support with mobility
• support to regain skills and confidence for everyday life
• support after a stay in hospital

The Reablement service currently also oversees referrals and assessments for the Bridging Service. This is run by an independent (non-council) provider and provides short-term care when someone cannot start reablement, has completed reablement and is waiting for a Care Act assessment, or needs support to leave hospital safely and on time.

The service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Background to the proposals

In November 2025, Bristol City Council ran a survey to ask people using the service, and their families and carers, for feedback.

Most people who responded were positive about the reliable, person-centred support provided by the service.

People also suggested the following improvements:

• more consistent visiting times
• seeing the same Bristol City Council staff where possible
• better communication about when support will end and what happens next

Reablement is an important service because it helps people stay independent and can prevent or delay the need for more intensive care. The service is also important for hospital discharge because it helps people return home safely.

The service has a large budget because it needs a large workforce. The council will spend around £4.6 million on the service in tax year 2026 to 27.

The cost to the council of the Reablement service is £93.30 per hour.

There are limited direct comparisons because not many services work in exactly the same way.  Some councils use different models, including external providers or closer health and social care partnerships. Research suggests that similar services provided by external organisations can cost between £25 and £35 per hour.

Demand for reablement in Bristol is often higher than the staff capacity available. The council is reviewing whether the current model remains the best way to deliver positive outcomes for people and make effective use of public resources.

The options in in this consultation have been developed based on available evidence.

Options we considered but decided not to take forward

The council considers reablement an essential statutory function and believes it needs to be provided in some form. For this reason, the council does not currently consider closing the Reablement service a viable option and is not included as an option in this consultation.