AREAS OF LAW

Housing

The Law Centre has a Legal Services Commission contract to provide advice, assistance and representation in Housing Law at specialist level.

This work includes:

• Homelessness
• Allocations and transfers
• Disrepair, self-repair schemes, improvement grants
• Tenant participation, consultation, stock transfer, tenants’ associations
• Rent arrears, possession proceedings, eviction and emergency procedures
• Anti-social behaviour, introductory tenancies
• Housing Benefit, appeals, overpayment, backdating

Representation at court, rent assessment committee, appeal tribunal

The Law Centre has a Legal Services Commission contract to provide advice, assistance and representation in Employment Law at specialist level.

This work includes:

• Dismissal and disciplinary procedures
• Redundancy and Notice Pay
• Holiday Pay
• Bullying
• Sex, Race and Disability discrimination
• Deductions and failure to pay wages
• Minimum Wage rules
• Changes to contracts of Employment
• Trade Union issues
• Whistle blowing
• Takeover and change of employer
• Health & Safety
• Employment tribunal representation

Welfare Rights

The Law Centre has a Legal Services Commission contract to provide advice, assistance and representation in Welfare Benefits Law at specialist level.

This work includes:

• Advocacy and representation before all Social Security Appeal Tribunals
• Represention before Social Security Commissioners & higher appeal courts
• Where necessary we can take judicial review proceedings
• Besides representation we also take on complex cases referred to us by other voluntary agencies, advice services and solicitors
• We advise and represent on all social security law, including entitlement to all benefits (except CSA), backdating, suspensions and overpayments
• We represent all appeals covering disability living allowance, attendance allowance, incapacity for work and all other benefits
•We will also check whether there are any benefits or tax credits you are entitled to that you are not getting

(Please note that we do not generally represent on cases involving Interviews Under Caution as this falls under Criminal Law)

Community Care

The Law Centre can provide advice, assistance and representation in Community Care at specialist level.

This work includes:

• Specialist advice for disabled, elderly and vulnerable people
• Ensuring the right assessment of need
• Guidance through “eligibility criteria” pressing for needs to be properly met
• Converting to Direct Payments
• Protecting service levels
• Reviewing “Home Care” charges

Using specialist legal arguments to get the right results, complaining where necessary, or even challenging in court.

Education

The Law Centre can provide advice, assistance and representation in Education Law at specialist level.

This work includes:

• Admission Appeals: getting your child into the right school
• Exclusions Appeals: dealing with teachers & governors to give you your say
• Bullying: assisting you to help your school tackle problems to save your child
• Grants: for travel, college and higher education
• Special Educational Needs: getting your child assessed and pressing for the right help

The Law Centre can provide advice, assistance and representation in this area of law. This work includes making central and local government accountable, and developing a Human Rights culture:

This work includes:

• Planning
• Housing
• Health Service
• Health & Safety
• Transport
• Education
• Social Services
• The Environment
• Arts & Libraries
• Where necessary we can take judicial review proceedings

We aim to enable local people to participate in public consultations, and to give a voice to their concerns about public services. We will therefore challenge public bodies in court if necessary.

Debt Advice

If you are having difficulties in dealing with debt problems you should always seek specialist advice. The Law Centre can provide advice, assistance and representation in this area of law.

This work includes:

• Helping you work out a realistic budget that covers all your income and spending. We can help you decide which debts take priority - like mortgage or rent - and which cost you most through penalties or higher interest rates
• We will check whether there are any benefits or tax credits you are entitled to that you are not getting
• If organisations won't accept your repayment offers, we can help you ccontact your creditors to offer payment proposals on your behalf
• We advise and help with bankruptcy petitions
• We assist by giving impartial advice to avoid you rushing into signing anything you don't understand

Note:
Before seeing an adviser about debt, gather together all your financial papers. These should include any court papers and letters, bills and credit agreements, and details of your income and expenditure and that of your spouse or partner. If you can put all your in-comings and outgoings on one easy to read spreadsheet, all the better, but if you simply can't sort out where you stand with all the letters and statements you have, don't worry. An adviser will help you get it all in order so they can see exactly what the problem is and how you can sort it out.

(Please note that we are not financial advisors and therefore cannot give specific financial advice i.e investments, loans, shares etc)