The aim of the Community Legal Service is to ensure that people can get information and advice about their legal rights and help with enforcing them. Bringing together legal aid solicitors, Citizens' Advice Bureaux, Law Centres, local authority services and other organisations in local networks, the Community Legal Service is an important part of the Government's fight against social exclusion.

Telephone Helpline: 0845 345 4 345

Get free initial advice from a qualified legal adviser about Welfare Benefits, Debt or Education between 9am and 5pm weekdays (if you call outside office hours, just leave a message and you will be called back)

If you are eligible for Legal Aid you can get further free legal help with your case by phone and post

Find quality local advice services for other types of problems

Order legal information leaflets

Listen to recorded messages about common legal problems 24 hours a day

All advice given is confidential and independent.

Calls to the helpline can be made for the price of a local phone call from anywhere in England and Wales. Mobile users should check the cost of calling with their network.

Website: http://www.clsdirect.org.uk

Community Legal Service Direct is a new easy-to-use service that can help you deal with your legal problems. It provides free information, help and advice direct to the public on a range of common issues.

On this website you can:

Search for a quality local legal adviser or solicitor
Ask a question or choose a common topic and be directed to the best advice websites
See if you are eligible for legal aid funding by using an online calculator
View and print independently-written legal information leaflets on a range of popular topics