Access to Justice and Funding

Question 1

What are the free sources of advice available?

Answer 1

• Help lines
• Citizen’s Advice Bureau
• Law Centres
• Trade Unions
• Schemes run by lawyers

Question 2

What are help lines?

Answer 2

A government funded scheme which provides free telephone advice for problems like debt and domestic abuse

Question 3

What is the Citizen’s Advice Bureau?

Answer 3

Provides free advice on matters such as housing issues, welfare benefits and debt problems. Many also have contacts with local solicitors willing to give cheap or free advice

Question 4

What are Law Centres?

Answer 4

Operate in poorer areas employing qualified solicitors and barristers who will advice mainly on problems concerning housing, employment, welfare benefits and immigration

Question 5

What are Trade Unions?

Answer 5

Offer members free legal advice and legal representation for all work-related problems

Question 6

What are schemes run by lawyers?

Answer 6

Solicitors may offer a free half-hour interview and some may offer them ‘pro-bono’ in particular cases.

Question 7

What are the ways of privately funding a case?

Answer 7

• Paying for a solicitor or barrister
• private legal insurance
• conditional fee agreement

Question 8

What is conditional fee agreement?

Answer 8

Solicitors will agree to take no fee if they lose a case but if they win they charge a success fee of up to 25% of the damages

Question 9

When is Civil Legal Aid available?

Answer 9

For specific cases like those involving children’s rights or liberty of the individual and it is not available for tort or contract

Question 10

How can someone be eligible for Civil Legal Aid?

Answer 10

If they pass a means and merits test