Forum Topic

Free legal advice in Ealing

Ealing council has just awarded a contract to provide free legal advice to London borough of Ealing residents to a company in Kensington and Chelsea. What do they know about demand here in Ealing, considering they are sharing their area with 3 other free providers and their office is only open 3x a week for half day advice sessions.And what about Ealing Equality Council at the Lido centre? They've been doing it, full time, for over 30 years and have recently started well attended outreach clinics all over the borough. And they cover all areas not just debt, benefits and housing.Considering the support Ealing Equality Council has from local people, local councillors, barristers, QCs, senior figures in local politics and a long standing relationship with the University of West London, it's a bit odd.Thousands have received free legal advice and help every year from them, why go elsewhere?

Barbara Karayi ● 5020d14 Comments

Yes, I think they did.

Daniella Gluck ● 5013d

Actually Law for All closed down, didn't it? The EEC has been covering their workload ever since.

Daniella Gluck ● 5013d

They were a registered charity,  and some work was legal aid,  and yes solicitors.  What a shame they went into administration I did voluntary work there about 10 years ago.  I suppose with all the legal aid cuts they could not function on charitable contributions alone.

Jen Morty ● 5013d

They closed down (went into administration) 2 years ago. I don't know what is at 102 uxbridge Road, Law for all was at 191. Also I don't think they were a charity but a legal aid firm of solicitors.

Barbara Karayi ● 5013d

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/law-all-blames-bureaucracy-burden-closureDid they not close down completely?

George Knox ● 5013d

There is also the "Law for all" which operates from Acton. They used to be based at The Vale, but their offices have now moved to 102 the High Street, Acton. It is also a charitable organisation and if you need legal advice all you have to do is to call them up and they will give you an appointment.

Rosa Popham ● 5014d

Because if they don't know anything about us they may as well provide the service 8 days a week - it still won't be of any use. In any case, the EEC was working 3 or 4 days a week.

Daniella Gluck ● 5014d

Perhaps this new organisation is the beneficiary of the extra funding mentioned in the bumped thread?

George Knox ● 5018d

Ben -I think you are absolutely right.Any sensible land use plan for Ealing should allocate space for at least one CAB. And with a population over three times that of Carlisle there should be a number of CABs in the borough, and space allocated for them in The Local Plan or in Neighbourhood Development Plans.

Eric Alan Leach ● 5019d

I believe I am right in saying that Ealing is the only London Borough not to have a Citizens Advice Bureau. Although LB Ealing used to have one this had to close some years ago due to funding cuts.Rather than award a contract to an out-of-borough contractor to provide legal advice on a 3 half days a week, I am confident that many residents would have welcomed the idea of the CAB re-opening as a result of new council funding.

Ben Owen ● 5019d

There is a good full time service in Ealing, but the funding has been chipped at more and more, and we may have to close, because we can't exist without some funding from the council, which as I've said, is happy to send people to us regularly. We exist on a shoestring.

Barbara Karayi ● 5019d

I see it as a positive move. There are now a further three half-days each week when free legal advice can be sought.It may be provided by an out-of-borough organisation but what's wrong with that?

Nigel Brooks ● 5019d

Equally perversely the council sends people to us regularly. We are well known in advice circles, people arrive via the central library and if you google you will find us.

Barbara Karayi ● 5019d

The Council's decison to grant this contract to a 'remote' organistation seems perverse.Equally perverse is the (no doubt unintended) secrecy of the free legal service that apparently is provided by Ealing Equality Council currently at Lido House. I've lived in Ealing since 1967 and this is the first I've heard of this service.

Eric Alan Leach ● 5019d