Community Legal Advice Centres and Networks
- What are they?
- Can they help me?
- What if the centre or network can´t help me?
- What if I can´t get to the Centre?
- Derby Community Legal Advice Centre
- Gateshead Community Legal Advice Centre
- Leicester Community Legal Advice Centre
- Portsmouth Community Legal Advice Centre
What are they?
Community Legal Advice centres and networks provide independent and confidential legal advice and representation services.
They bring together a broad range of legal advice services to help you with problems related to:
- benefits and tax credits
- debt
- employment
- housing
- community care
- family law.
Centres and networks are being established throughout England and Wales. Derby, Gateshead, Leicester and Portsmouth Community Legal Advice Centres are now open.
Can they help me?
Free general legal advice is available at an initial appointment.
Further, specialist advice is available if you are eligible for legal aid. Use our legal aid calculator to find out if you can get free advice.
For some problems you will not need to be eligible for legal aid to receive specialist advice, although you may need to meet other criteria. We'll tell you about this at the initial appointment.
What if the centre or network can’t help me?
If the centre or network is unable to help you they will tell you about other ways you can get help. For example, you may be given details of another organisation that could help, or you will be given directions to legal information resources.
What if I can’t get to the Centre?
Call our telephone helpline on 0845 345 4 345 or search our directory to find a legal adviser near you.
Derby Community Legal Advice Centre
Derby Community Legal Advice Centre is based at:
Stuart House
Green Lane
Derby
Tel: 01332 295711
The centre is open Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm. If the centre is not able to help, staff will refer the visitor to other local sources of help, arranging appointments where possible.
The service in Derby is provided by Derbyshire Access2Law, a community interest company made up of:
Derby Citizens Advice Law Centre
Derbyshire Housing Aid
Moody and Wooley Solicitors
the Smith Partnership Solicitors.
The service will work closely with Derby Advice, the in-house council advice service.
The Centre is jointly funded by Derby City Council and the Legal Services Commission.
Gateshead Community Legal Advice Centre
Gateshead Community Legal Advice Centre is based at:
5 Regent Terrace
Gateshead
NE8 1LU
Tel: 0191 478 5100
Fax: 0191 477 4922
The centre is open 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday. You can drop in and wait to see someone, or make an appointment at a time that suits you.
The Centre also offers advice at Blaydon Library every Tuesday from 9.30am to 12 noon.
Gateshead Community Legal Advice Centre is delivered by Gateshead CAB, along with three law firms: Swinburne and Jackson, Ben Hoare Bell and David Gray & Co. The Centre is jointly funded by Gateshead Council and the Legal Services Commission.
Leicester Community Legal Advice Centre
Leicester Community Legal Advice Centre is based at:
60 Charles St
Leicester
LE1 1FB
Tel: 0845 456 0074
Opening times: 9.00 am to 6pm Monday to Friday except Thursdays when the Centre is open 9.00 am to 9.00 pm, and Saturdays 11.00 am to 2.00 pm.
The service in Leicester is provided by A4e and Howells solicitors. The Centre is jointly funded by Leicester City Council and the Legal Services Commission.
Portsmouth Community Legal Advice Centre
Portsmouth Community Legal Advice Centre is based at:
1-3a London Road
Portsmouth
PO2 0BQ
Tel: 023 9265 6300
Fax: 023 9265 6350
The Centre is open 9am - 5pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; we are open from 9am - 8pm on Thursdays. You can drop in and wait to see someone, or make an appointment at a time that suits you.
Portsmouth Community Legal Advice Centre is delivered by Southern Focus Trust and Portsmouth CAB. The Centre is jointly funded by Portsmouth City Council and the Legal Services Commission.