Advice and Advocacy Services and Law Centres in Scotland Most Law Centres will deal with civil matters only, if your problem is to do with criminal law or there is no law centre in your area, you should contact the Scottish Law Society which will be able to help you find a Solicitor. It can be contacted in the following ways. Telephone: 0131 226 7411 Website: www.lawscot.org.uk E-mail: Lawscot@lawscot.org.uk Advice and advocacy services may be better for more minor issues not necessarily needing special legal knowledge. If they cannot help you they should refer you to a law centre or the Scottish law society. NB:- Some services only deal with people from a certain area of the country or from a certain group (e.g. Students, people with learning difficulties, etc.) and most only deal with certain areas of law (employment, welfare benefits, etc) Please make sure the service you are contacting matches your needs as far as possible. Advice and Advocacy services National Organisations * Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance Telephone: 0131 524 1975 Website: www.siaa.org.uk The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) promotes, supports and defends the principles and practice of Independent Advocacy across Scotland. Its aim is to ensure that high quality advocacy is available to everyone. * Capability Scotland Telephone: 0131 337 9876 Website: www.capability-scotland.org.uk E-mail: advice@capability-scotland.org.uk Capability Scotland offer advice and support on accessing services such as community care, education and employment. They are also committed to ensuring disabled people achieve the same human and civil rights as everyone else. * Disability Information Scotland Telephone: 0300 323 9961 SMS: 0778 620 0707 Website: www.disabilityscot.org.uk E-mail: info@disabilityscot.org.uk Previously known as Update, Disability Information Scotland helps to guide people through disability information. We provide useful information throughout Scotland for disabled people, their families, friends and carers and the people who work with them. * Lead Scotland Telephone: 0800 999 2568 SMS: (18001) 0131 228 9441 Website: www.lead.org.uk E-mail: info@lead.org.uk Lead Scotland, (Specialists in Linking Education and Disability), is a voluntary organisation set up to widen access to learning for disabled young people and adults and carers across Scotland. They are open Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 2pm-4pm and Tuesday & Friday 10am-12pm. * Citizen’s Advice Scotland Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland Consumer helpline: 03454 04 05 06 Citizens Advice Direct: 0808 800 9060 Citizens Advice Scotland has 61 bureaux and a consumer helpline. They generally specialise in areas such as Benefits, Employment, Finances, Consumer, Family, Housing, Discrimination, Healthcare and Education. * Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) Website: publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk E-mail: opg@scotcourts.gov.uk Telephone: 01324 678300 Supervises people who’ve been appointed to manage the finances or property of adults who are no longer able to do so for themselves, in Scotland. They can help you to make a lasting Power of Attorney if you can’t find what you need online. * Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) Scotland Website: www.cas.org.uk/patientadvice Telephone: 03454 04 05 06 The Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) is delivered by the Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Service. The service is independent and provides free, confidential information, advice and support to anyone who uses the NHS in Scotland. * The Scottish Information Commissioner Website: www.itspublicknowledge.info Telephone: 01334 464610 E-mail enquiries@itspublicknowledge.info The Scottish Information Commissioner promotes and enforces both the public's right to ask for information held by Scottish public authorities and good practice by authorities. Through her work she supports the openness, transparency and accountability of public bodies. * Scottish Child Law Centre Website: www.sclc.org.uk Advice Line: 0131 667 6333 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-4.00pm) Freecall Under 21s (landlines) 0800 328 8970 (mobiles) 0300 3301421 E-mail: enquiries@sclc.org.uk We help children and young people, their families and carers, and professionals working for and with children by providing free expert legal advice and information through our advice line, email and website. Local Organisations * Kindred (Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fife) Helpline: 0131 536 0583(Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Lothian’s) Telephone: 01383 420 504 (Fife) Textphone: 0131 536 0360 Email: kindred.enquiries@gmail.com Website: www.kindred-scotland.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/kindred.scotland Kindred provides advocacy and information on services available to children with additional support needs and their carers. You don't always have to have a specific question for us, as we also provide a 'listening ear'. Kindred supports families of children with additional needs up to 18 years of age. Edinburgh and Midlothian * Vocal Edinburgh - VOCAL Carers Centre 8-13 Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2PW Telephone: 0131 622 6666 E-mail: centre@vocal.org.uk Midlothian - VOCAL Carer Centre 30/1 Dalhousie Road, Dalkeith, EH22 3NX Telephone: 0131 663 6869 E-mail: midlothian@vocal.org.uk VOCAL supports and empowers unpaid carers in Edinburgh and Midlothian through individual support, information, training and access to services. Visit a carer centrer for advice and support in person. Vocal Carer Support Workers can meet you face to face (at home or in your local area), talk over the phone or contact you by email. Aberdeenshire * Disabled Persons Housing Service (Aberdeen) Top Floor, Raeden Court, Mid Stocket Road, Aberdeen, AB15 5PF Telephone: 01224 810222 Mobile: 07986 530507 Website: www.dphsaberdeen.org Email: info@dphsaberdeen.org Provide a professional advocacy and housing advice service on the phone or face to face. You can visit them at their office or arrange a home visit for disabled clients who are unable to travel. Glasgow * Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living 117 - 127 Brook Street, Glasgow, G40 3AP Telephone: 0141 550 4455 Website: www.gcil.org.uk Email: gcil@gcil.org.uk Textphone: 0141 554 6482 GCIL provide a variety of services that support disabled people in Glasgow. They can assist on; people managing their own support arrangements using direct payments, training for personal assistants and their employers, housing information, advice and advocacy, employment and training opportunities for disabled people. Lothian * Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living (Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian) Norton Park Centre, 57 Albion Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5QY Telephone: 0131 475 2350 Textphone: 0131 475 2463 Website: www.lothinacil.org.ukLothian CIL offers information and advice on independent living support, payroll services, training services for disabled employers and personal assistants, access to work for individuals, employers and support organisations and living and work choices information. Opening Hours: Monday – Friday, 10.00am – 4.00 pm * The Action Group (Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian) Norton Park Centre, 57 Albion Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5QY Telephone: 0131 475 2315 Website: www.actiongroup.org.uk E-mail: advice@actiongroup.org.uk The Action Group offers advice and information on welfare rights and financial inclusion, Children and adult transition, housing and community support services, self-directed support and money advice for children and adults with support needs and learning difficulties. Law Centres National Law Centres * Legal Services Agency (National) Legal Services Agency Ltd., Fleming House, 134 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G3 6ST Telephone: 0141 353 3354/0800 316 8450 Website: www.lsa.org.uk E-mail: lsa@btconnect.com LSA provides advice and representation in all the relevant courts and tribunals in Scotland. They provide legal advice in immigration, benefits, mental health, community care, discrimination and equality, employment, housing, human rights, public and criminal law. Local Law Centres (Please note that where a city has more than one law centre we have given the postcode to help you find the one closest to you) Dundee * Dundee North Law centre 101 Whitfield Drive, Dundee, DD4 0DX, Telephone: 0138 230 7230 The DNLC focuses on issues such as housing, debt, employment law, consumer law, education, community care and criminal injuries compensation. Advice sessions are available at a range of community venues. Edinburgh * Edinburgh University Legal Advice Centre Free Legal Advice Centre, Edinburgh Centre for Professional Legal Studies, University of Edinburgh, 9B Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8FP Telephone: 0800 073 0150 Website: www.freelegaladvice.ed.ac.uk E-mail: freelegaladvice@ed.ac.uk The legal advice centre delivers pro bono legal services to members of the public living in Edinburgh. They provide advice and assistance in; child and education, consumer, debt, employment, family, IT, housing, landlord and tenant, planning, property and probate. The service is only available during university term time. * Ethnic Minorities Law Centre (see website for further details of areas covered) (Glasgow office) 41 St. Vincent Place, 2nd Floor, Glasgow, G1 2ER (Edinburgh office) 103-105 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BX Telephone: 0141 204 2888 (Glasgow) 0131 229 2038 (Edinburgh) Website: www.elmc.org.uk E-mail: admin@elmc.org.uk (Glasgow) edinburgh@emlc.org.uk (Edinburgh) ELMC provides advice on issues to people from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds including asylum, refugee, human rights, immigration, employment, race discrimination and criminal injuries compensation. Fife * Fife Law Centre (KY5 9AF) Ore Valley Business Centre, Lochgelly, Fife, KY5 9AF Telephone: 01592 786710 Website: www.fifelawcentre.co.uk E-mail: info@fifelawcentre.co.uk The Fife Law Centre provides advice on housing, employment and child law. Renfrewshire (Including Glasgow G45 9UG) * Castlemilk Law and Money Advice Centre 155 Castlemilk Drive (First Floor), Castlemilk, Glasgow, G45 9UG Telephone: 0141 634 0313 E-mail: mail@castlemilklawcentre.co.uk Website: www.castlemilklawcentre.co.uk The centre offers advice on a variety of areas such as benefits, compensation, consumer issues, discrimination/human rights, employment, family and relationships and housing. * Drumchapel Law and Money Advice Centre Unit 1, KCEDG Commercial Centre, Ladyloan Place, Drumchapel, Glasgow, G15 8LB Telephone: 0141 944 0507 Website: www.dmac.btck.co.uk E-mail: admin@d-mac.org.uk The centre offers advice on money issues and welfare benefits as well as employment, human rights, consumer issues and housing. It also has a project designed to help children aged 5-18 that deals mainly with family and education issues. * Govan Law Centre (G51 2BZ) Orkney Street Enterprise Centre (Units 4 & 6), 18-20 Orkney Street, Glasgow, G51 2BZ Telephone: 0141 440 2503 Website: www.govanlc.blogspot.com Govan Law Centre offers advice and assistance in consumer, debt, education, employment and housing. * Renfrewshire Law Centre including Glasgow (PA1 2JY) 65-71 George Street, Paisley, PA1 2JY Telephone: 0141 561 7266 Website: www.rlclaw.co.uk Renfrewshire law centre provides legal advice and assistance and representation at courts and tribunals for residents of Renfrewshire and part of East Renfrewshire in cases falling under local jurisdiction. The areas of law they offer advice and assistance in are; housing, eviction, disrepair, antisocial behaviour, homelessness, housing benefit, social security, debt, consumer rights, bankruptcy, employment law, asylum and immigration and children law. Disability Law Service The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, Vauxhall, London SE11 5RR Telephone: 020 7791 9800 Minicom: 020 7791 9801 Email: advice@dls.org.uk Website: www.dls.org.uk Registered Charity Number: 280805 Company Registration Number: 1408520 Contracted with the Legal Aid Agency © Disability Law Service – 2016 Page | 2