Eight warm banks to open in Birmingham in response to cost of living crisis

Eight warm banks will open across the West Midlands to help people who can't afford to put their heating on this winter.

The plan to open the spaces was a response to the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Birmingham City Council hopes to open more by asking volunteer groups and community organisations to fill the gap where the local authority's budget and resources cannot fill.

Six Birmingham constituencies are among the top 13 across England, which has 6.3 million homes in fuel poverty.

While the council confirmed leisure centres, community centres, and libraries would be used as warm banks, it could not confirm if any additional funding - or any physical improvements such as extra seating - had been allocated for the spaces.

Find your nearest warm space:

• Beeches Pool and Fitness Centre

• Billesley Tennis and Fitness Centre

• Ladywood Leisure Centre

• NAF (North Arts Forum)

• Northfield Leisure Centre

• Spitfire Advice and Support Service

• Stechford Leisure Centre

• Wyndley Swimming Pool

The council confirmed libraries across the city would continue to be open and have facilities and activities available for people of all ages.

It comes as the Labour-led local authority moved £5 million from its financial resilience reserve (FRR) to fund the impacts of the cost of living emergency. It has reported a budget shortfall of £80 million.

That is on top of the £12.6 million household support fund, an extra £1.3 million emergency top-up fund and the energy rebate scheme.

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