Legal advice
There are a number of organisations who may be able to help you by providing advice and support. Please find details below:
General Advice
Advicelocal
advicelocal is a UK-wide service providing a post code driven search for local advice services as well as guides to welfare benefits, employment, debt, housing, immigration & asylum, and disability & social care issues.
Advicenow
Advicenow is an independent, not-for-profit website providing accurate, up-to-date information on rights and legal issues.
Advice UK
Advice UK is the largest UK network of advice providing organisations.
Offering help with Universal Credit, Tax Credits and benefits, Council Tax support, debt, housing and claiming housing benefits, Advice if you have no recourse to public funds, self employment income support scheme and statutory sick pay
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice provides information on your rights, including benefits, housing, family matters and employment, and on debt, consumer and legal issues.
England: 03444 111 444 Wales: 03444 77 20 20 TextRelay users: 03444 111 445
Free legal advice on employment, housing, welfare benefits, domestic violence, Windrush immigration and Asylum support
.SILKS Law Clinic Free legal advice
For the community from University of Salford Law School
For advice on human and civil rights matters you can call their advice line and their website provides information on your rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.
Telephone: 0845 123 2307 or 020 3145 0461
The University of Law Legal Advice for the public
The University of Manchester Legal Advice Centre
Students supervised by University staff and volunteer lawyers, offer free advice to the general public
Court Support
Manchester Free Legal Help
Manchester Free Legal Help (MFLH) is an advice-only service at the Civil Justice Centre, offering litigants in person guidance as they navigate the legal process.
We aim to assist clients with legal issues in the areas of Family Law and Immigration Law
The Housing Possession Court Duty Solicitor Scheme
If you are a Defendant in a possession case Shelter Manchester are funded by the Legal Aid Agency to provide free advice and representation at court.
You do not need to be financially eligible for this advice – it is free to anyone facing possession regardless of income contact Shelter Manchester on 0344 515 1711 or [email protected] and they will refer you to the agency who will be at court on the day.
Offer support and guidance before, during, and after court. We ensure that those facing court alone feel prepared and supported in accessing justice.
Crime
Victim Support
If you’ve been a victim of any crime or have been affected by a crime committed against someone you know, Victim Support can help you deal with what you’ve been through.
Helpline: 0808 1689 111
Debt and Finance
Debt Advice Foundation
The Debt Advice Foundation can give you free confidential advice about your debt problems over the phone.
Telephone: 0800 043 40 50.
The Money Advice Service
The Money Advice Service runs a Money Advice Line on 0300 500 5000 (English) or 0300 500 5555 (Welsh) 0300 500 5000
National Debt Line
National Debtline can give you advice and information about debt problems.
Telephone: 0808 808 4000
StepChange Debt Charity
Step Change can give you free, confidential advice about debt problems.
Telephone: 0800 138 1111
TaxAid
Provides assistance to those on a low income whose problems cannot be resolved with HMRC.
Telephone: 0345 120 3779
Domestic Violence
Karma Nirvana
Supports victims of honour- based violence and forced marriage.
National Centre for Domestic Violence
The National Centre of Domestic Violence (NCDV) provides a free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestics violence regardless of their financial circumstances, race, gender or sexual orientation. 0800 970 2070 / 0844 8044 999 / text “NCDV” to 6077
Rape Crisis
Find your nearest specialist Rape Crisis organisation near you services using the search facility on their website.
Rape Crisis helpline: 0808 802 9999
For male victims of domestic abuse
.Rights of Women
Family law helpline 020 7251 6577 and criminal law helpline – 020 7521 8887
Refuge and Women’s Aid
Refuge and Women’s Aid run a freephone 24-hour National Domestic Violence
Helpline: 0808 2000 247
S4S are here to listen and support women experiencing abuse who have an immigration issues and no recourse to public funds
Specialist domestic abuse support service for Asian Women
St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre
Survivors UK
Survivors UK support men who have been sexually abused
Helpline: 0845 122 1201
Employment
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS)
ACAS provides information, advice, training, conciliation and other services for employers and employees to help prevent or resolve workplace problems.
0300 123 110
Protect (formerly Public concern at work)
Protect is the UK’s whistleblowing charity, they can provide advice to individuals with whistleblowing dilemmas at work.
Telephone: 0203 117 2520
Family
Both Parents Matter
Both Parents Matter runs monthly support meetings and with Law Works Cymru and support from local solicitors provides free legal clinics across Wales.
Helpline: 0333 050 6815.
Find a legal aid adviser or family mediator (justice.gov.uk) Search for a legal adviser or family mediator with a legal aid contract in England and Wales
Gingerbread
Gingerbread provides support and expert advice on a range of issues including dealing with a break-up, to going back to work and benefit or tax credit issues.
Helpline: 0808 802 0925.
Rights of Women
Rights of Women offers free, confidential legal advice for women in England and Wales on family law and criminal law (for example, about sexual offences including rape and sexual assault, domestic violence and harassment, reporting offences to the police and the criminal justice system, the rights of victims, witnesses and defendants and criminal injuries compensation).
Health and Disability
Disability Law Service
Disability Law Service provides information, advice and assistance to those with disabilities and their carers.
Free Legal Advice Line: 0207 791 9800
Mind
The Charity Mind provides legal information and general advice on mental health related law covering mental health, mental capacity, community care, human rights and discrimination and equality related to mental health issues
Scope
Scope provides information and support for disabled people. Disability Information and Advice Line (DIAL) services are run for and by disabled people.
Free helpline: 0808 800 3333
Housing and homelessness
Housing and homelessness
BPP Legal Advice Clinic Offering advice on various housing issuesincluding neighbour disputes, tenancy issues, service charges, rent deposits and disrepair
Shelter
The homelessness charity Shelter runs a housing helpline, has a network of housing aid centres and works with local citizens advice bureaux.
Free housing advice helpline : 0808 800 4444
Shelter Cymru
Shelter Cymru can advise on urgent housing problems if you live in Wales. It also runs advice surgeries across Wales.
Telephone: 0345 075 5005.
For information about organisations offering assistance to people who are homeless or in need of support.
Immigration and Asylum
The Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA)
ILPA has a directory of their members on their website. You can search this to find an immigration adviser near you.
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants represents clients at all stages of the legal process from entry clearance applications through to appeals and judicial review.
Migrant Help
Migrant Help provides confidential and impartial advice and guidance to adult asylum seekers and their dependants throughout the UK
Helpline: 0808 8010 503
Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit – GMIAU exists to advise, support, represent and campaign with people subject to immigration control
LGBTQ+
Provides a LGBTQ+ Domestic Abuse Helpline – Every Monday 5pm – 7pm – 01273 622 828. Alternatively, you can email at [email protected] letting them know a good time and safe number on which to call.
Provides services and advocacy to the LGBTQ+ community and resources for people experiencing domestic abuse in LGBTQ+ relationships.
Supports LGBT+ people who are victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, so-called conversion therapies, honour-based abuse, forced marriage, and other forms of abuse.
Supports the Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME) trans* population of Britain.
Mental Health
It can be hard to understand what your rights are, or how to assert them – especially when you’re unwell. Manchester Mind have information for you on sectioning, discrimination, and your rights in other common situations. These guides are for adults in England and Wales who live with mental health problems.