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Do you qualify for free legal help?
Tower Hamlets Law Centre does not charge clients for the advice
it gives or the legal work it carries out. The Centre funds its work
from a number of sources, including a contract with the local authority
to provide advice services, grants from charitable trusts and a contract
with the Legal Services Commission (LSC). Tower Hamlets Law Centre
is a Not-for-Profit legal advice provider. It is approved by the
Legal Services Commission having complied with their Quality Mark
standards in the running of the Law Centre generally and its expertise
in specific areas of law.
Under our contract with the LSC we provide specialist legal advice, assistance
and representation (in all courts and Tribunals) in Housing, Immigration, Welfare
Benefits and Education Law.
You will normally qualify for free advice under the Legal Help scheme if your
income and savings are within the eligibility levels set by the LSC. This will
enable the Law Centre to be paid by the LSC for the work done on your behalf.
What happens when you contact the Law Centre
Your first point of contact will normally be with our reception either by telephone
or when you visit for the first time. If your problem is something that we can
normally help with, our receptionist will need to complete a short 'screening'
sheet with you. We will require details about your monthly household income,
and any any benefits or savings that you may have. This is necessary because
our advisers are required to do an eligibility check to see whether you qualify
for free legal help.
Generally speaking you will qualify financially if:
• you have savings and other assets of £8,000 or
less;
or £3,000 in the case of Controlled Legal Representation
Immigration matters and;
• receive Income Support, Income based Job Seekers' Allowance
or Guarantee State Pension Credit.
You will also qualify if you are not getting one of these benefits but:
• you earn less than £2,657.00* per month gross
(before deductions for tax and National Insurance and);
• after deducting amounts for the tax you pay, your rent, allowances for
looking after your family, and getting to work you have disposable income of £733.00 per
month or less.
* For families with more than 4 dependant
children a higher gross income cap applies. Your adviser will do
this calculation for you when you meet with them at your first
appointment.
These amounts are updated on approximately a six monthly
basis. When you come to see an adviser they will work out
with you whether you qualify. To help your adviser to do
this you will need to bring all financial
information to your first appointment to help calculate this - such
as proof of your benefits and rent, wage slips, bank statements
etc.
If you are eligible for Legal Help or a
Public Funding Certificate
If you are eligible you will be asked to sign a Legal Help
form which confirms to the LSC your personal details and finances
and that you are giving accurate information. The Legal Help
scheme can be used to advise on matters of UK law and to prepare
your case up to but not including going to court on your behalf.
In some areas of law such as immigration, you may be eligible for Controlled
Legal Representation (CLR) to pay for the Law Centre to represent you at
an appeal hearing. In others, to go to court you will need to apply
for a full Public Funding Certificate. There are different eligibility
levels and rules for each of these forms of funding. Your adviser will
also have to consider the prospects of success of your case (the merits
test) in order to justify continuing to represent you. You have a right
to appeal the Legal Services Commission if you are refused. In full
certificate cases, there is also the possibility of having to make
a contribution to the costs of your case and repaying the LSC out of
any money awarded to you as a result of winning your case.
If you are not eligible for Legal Help or a Public Funding
Certificate.
If you are not eligible, your adviser will discuss alternative
ways in which the Law Centre might be able to fund your case
or refer you to another agency. For more detailed guidance
on the different types of funding available, you can download A
Step by Step Guide to Legal Aid in the resources box on
the right.
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Resources
A Step-by-Step Guide to Legal Aid
[requires the Acrobat Reader plug in which can be accessed for free here]. Note that these links will open in a new window |
