Legal Services and Advice
Launched by the Legal Services Commission, COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICE DIRECT is a free and confidential advice service paid for by legal aid. It's an easy-to-use service that helps people deal with their legal problems. It provides free legal advice, help and information through a telephone helpline, an award winning website and a range of leaflets.
HELPLINE: 0845 345 4 345
- People who live on a low income or benefits can call 0845 345 4 345 for free independant advice about debt, education, benefits and tax credits, employment and housing problems.
- Calls cost no more than 4p per minute from a BT landline but calls from mobiles are usually more. If a caller is worried about the cost they can ask an advisor to call them back.
- Advice is available from 9 to 6.30 Monday-Friday. If you call outside office hours, just leave a message and you will be called back.
- Typetalk calls welcome and Minicom 0845 609 6677 available.
- The helpline has a translation service if you would like advice in a language other than English or Welsh.
www.clsdirect.org.uk
The Legal Services Commission produces a series of public information leaflets, which cover key areas of the civil law in England and Wales.
The leaflets in this series give an outline of legal rights. They are not a complete guide to the law and are not intended to be a guide to how the law will apply to every individual or to any specific situation. If you have a problem, you will need to get more information or personal advice to work out the best way to solve it. For more sources of information and advice see the 'Further help' sections under each leaflet. Alternatively, contact CLS Direct to find quality assured legal help.
These leaflets are provided for free, and are available in English, Welsh, Braille and Audio. Equal Opportunities and Racial Discrimination leaflets are available in Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, French, Gujarati, Portugese, Somali, Spanish and Turkish
To view copies of the leaflets currently available (in English) please click on one of the links below:
- Dealing with Debt (PDF file, 200 kb)
- Employment (PDF file, 396 kb) Please note this leaflet is currently in the process of being updated
- Divorce and Separation (PDF 0.99 mb)
- Renting and Letting (PDF file 358 kb)
- Buying and Selling Porperty (PDF file 0.99 mb)
- Losing your Home (PDF file 151 kb)
- The Human Rights Act (PDF file 1.92 mb)
- Claiming Asylum (PDF file 1.92 mb)
- Welfare Benefits (PDF file 200 kb)
- Wills and Probate (PDF file 179 kb)
- Dealing with the Police (PDF file 156 kb)
- No-win, No-fee Actions (PDF file 273 kb)
- Problems with Goods and Services (PDF file 270 kb)
- Medical Accidents (PDF file 191 kb)
- Equal Opportunities (PDF file 206 kb)
- Racial Discrimination (PDF file 173 kb)
- Personal Injury (PDF file 424 kb)
- Rights for Disabled People (PDF file 191 kb)
- Community Care (PDF file 413 kb)
- Education (PDF file 404 kb)
- Immigration and Nationality (PDF file 203 kb)
- Mental Health (PDF file 314 kb)
- Alternatives to Court (PDF file 346 kb)
- Family Mediation (PDF file 149 kb)
- Veterans (PDF file 396 kb)
- Domestic Violence, Abuse and Harassment (PDF file 159 kb)
- Living Together & your Rights if you Separate (PDF file 999 kb)
- Dealing with Someone Else's Affairs (PDF file 366 kb)
- Care Proceedings (PDF file 311 kb)
- Neighbourhood & Community Disputes (PDF file 422 kb)
- Changing your Name (PDF file 217 kb)
Hard copies of the leaflets can be ordered by:
- Phoning the LSC Leaflet Line on 0845 3000 343
- Emailing LSCLeaflets@ecgroup.uk.com