Legal Aid & Civil Rights Guidance

Official Name: Civil Legal Advice (CLA) — Legal Aid Agency (LAA), Ministry of Justice

Official Website: 🌐 www.gov.uk/civil-legal-advice

📞 Civil Legal Advice: 0345 345 4 345

Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Saturday, 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM.

📱 Textphone: 0345 435 4345

🔗 Relay UK: 18001 then 0345 345 4345 (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone)

Civil Legal Advice (CLA) is the telephone gateway to legal aid in England and Wales. It provides free, government-funded legal advice on civil (non-criminal) matters if you qualify financially and your legal problem is within scope. CLA is operated by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA), an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. The service does not take on your case directly — it assesses your eligibility and, if you qualify, connects you to a legal aid solicitor.

Areas Covered by Legal Aid (Civil)

• Housing: Eviction, repossession, homelessness, serious disrepair threatening health and safety.
• Family: Domestic abuse injunctions (non-molestation and occupation orders), child arrangement orders where there is evidence of abuse, care proceedings (automatic entitlement for parents).
• Debt: Bankruptcy petitions, repossession of your home due to debt.
• Welfare benefits: Appeals to the Upper Tribunal or Court of Appeal on a point of law.
• Immigration & asylum: Asylum applications, trafficking victims, some detention cases.
• Community care: Challenges to local authority decisions about care and support.
• Mental health: Detention under the Mental Health Act (automatic entitlement).
• Discrimination: Cases under the Equality Act 2010.
• Clinical negligence: Only for babies who suffered brain injury during birth.

Financial Eligibility (2026)

ⓘ Certain cases do not require a means test — including care proceedings (parents automatically qualify for the child’s case), Mental Health Act detention cases, and cases involving children in local authority care. Domestic abuse victims applying for protective injunctions also have more generous thresholds.

If You Do Not Qualify for Legal Aid

• Law Centres: Free independent legal advice on housing, benefits, employment, immigration, and family law. Find your nearest at 🌐 www.lawcentres.org.uk.
• LawWorks: A network of over 100 free legal advice clinics run by volunteer solicitors. 🌐 www.lawworks.org.uk.
• Citizens Advice: Free advice on legal rights, benefits, housing, debt, employment, and consumer issues. 📞 0800 144 8848. 🌐 www.citizensadvice.org.uk.
• Advicenow: Free, plain-English guides to common legal problems. 🌐 www.advicenow.org.uk.
• Bar Pro Bono Unit: Free legal representation in cases that merit it. 🌐 www.weareadvocate.org.uk.
• Exceptional Case Funding: If refusing legal aid would breach your human rights (under the Human Rights Act 1998 or European Convention on Human Rights), you can apply for Exceptional Case Funding through the Legal Aid Agency.

Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) — Discrimination Helpline

The Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) is a government-funded helpline that provides free advice and support on equality and human rights issues. While EASS does not provide legal representation, it helps you understand whether you have experienced unlawful discrimination, explains your options, and can assist with informal resolution. EASS can write letters on your behalf and signpost you to specialist legal services when needed.

Protected Characteristics Under the Equality Act 2010

It is unlawful to discriminate against someone because of any of the following nine protected characteristics:

1. Age
2. Disability
3. Gender reassignment
4. Marriage and civil partnership
5. Pregnancy and maternity
6. Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin)
7. Religion or belief
8. Sex
9. Sexual orientation

Types of Discrimination

• Direct discrimination: Being treated worse than someone else because of a protected characteristic.
• Indirect discrimination: A rule or policy that applies to everyone but puts people with a protected characteristic at a disadvantage.
• Harassment: Unwanted behaviour related to a protected characteristic that violates dignity or creates a hostile environment.
• Victimisation: Being treated badly because you made or supported a complaint about discrimination.
• Discrimination by association: Being treated worse because of your connection to someone with a protected characteristic.
• Discrimination by perception: Being treated worse because someone wrongly thinks you have a protected characteristic.

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

Other Key Civil Rights & Legal Resources

Small Claims Court & Money Claim Online

If you are owed money (£10,000 or less in England and Wales — £5,000 in Scotland; £3,000 in Northern Ireland) and informal resolution has failed, you can make a claim through the small claims court. The process is designed to be accessible without a solicitor.

• Money Claim Online (MCOL): The online service for making a money claim in England and Wales. 🌐 www.moneyclaim.gov.uk. Court fees start from £35 for claims up to £300, scaling to 5% of the claim value for claims above £1,500 (capped at 5% of £10,000).
• Simple Procedure (Scotland): For claims up to £5,000. 🌐 www.scotcourts.gov.uk
• Small Claims (Northern Ireland): For claims up to £3,000. 🌐 nidirect.gov.uk

Before going to court, you must usually send a formal “letter before action” giving the other party 14–30 days to pay. Going to court should be a last resort. Mediation services — often free or low-cost — can resolve many disputes faster and with less stress.

Summary: Key Legal Aid & Civil Rights Contacts

Essential Legal Rights Tips

Essential Legal Rights Tips

1. Check legal aid eligibility before paying for a solicitor — call Civil Legal Advice on 0345 345 4 345. It is a free call and takes about 15 minutes. Even if you think you earn too much, certain cases (domestic abuse, care proceedings, mental health detention) have automatic or more generous eligibility.
2. Collect evidence from day one — if you are experiencing discrimination, keep a diary of incidents (dates, times, what happened, who was present, and how it made you feel). Save emails, screenshots, and text messages. This is critical whether you pursue informal resolution or legal action.
3. You have time limits for legal claims — discrimination claims in an employment tribunal must currently be started within 3 months (extending to 6 months from October 2026 under the Employment Rights Act 2025). Civil court claims have a 6-year limitation period for most claims (3 years for personal injury, 1 year for defamation). Do not delay seeking advice.
4. Use Acas Early Conciliation for employment disputes — before issuing most employment tribunal claims, you must notify Acas. This is free and often resolves disputes without going to court. Call 0300 123 1100. ⓘ Covered in detail in our Employment Rights & Workplace Law article.
5. A Law Centre may help when legal aid will not — Law Centres provide free independent legal advice on housing, welfare benefits, employment, immigration, and more. They are particularly strong in helping people who fall between legal aid thresholds. Find your nearest at lawcentres.org.uk.
6. The Equality Act protects you — but you must speak up — if you experience discrimination at work, in a shop, at a restaurant, or when accessing public services, contact EASS on 0808 800 0082. They can explain your rights and help you write letters. The law is on your side, but it can only help if you use it.

This guide is part of the GOTOSHARP Information Hub — 32 essential articles covering UK public services, legal rights, financial literacy, and everyday life support for UK residents. Last updated: June 2026. Legal aid eligibility thresholds and the scope of funded services are subject to government changes. Always verify current details at GOV.UK Legal Aid and EASS. In Scotland, legal aid is administered by the Scottish Legal Aid Board (🌐 slab.org.uk). In Northern Ireland, contact the Northern Ireland Legal Services Agency (🌐 nidirect.gov.uk).

>