Legal Support
Do you need to access legal support for an ongoing immigration case?
Visit your local Law Centre
You can find your local law centre using the Law Centres Network. Many local law centres provide free immigration advice, although services vary from centre to centre.
Visit Your local Citizens Advice Bureau
Citizens Advice Bureaus offer advice to local residents on a range of practical and legal matters. You can find more information on their website here.
Civil Legal Advice
Civil Legal Advice is a helpline that advises whether you are able to access legal aid (free legal advice). An advisor can find local immigration/asylum lawyers in your area. Civil Legal Advice can be contacted on 0345 345 4345 between 09:00 and 20:00 Monday to Friday; and 09:00 and 12:30 on Saturdays. There are several directories that can be used to search for immigration/asylum lawyers in your area.
Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA)
ILPA is a professional association and registered charity, the majority of whose members are barristers, solicitors, and advocates who can advise in all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality law.
The ILPA directory of immigration advisors can be accessed here.
The Law Society
The Law Society directory can be used to search for a solicitor. If you live in England or Wales, search ‘Immigration’ in their directory here.
If you live in Scotland, you can search for a solicitor on The Law Society of Scotland’s website.
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
The OISC regulate immigration advisers in the UK. They have a directory that can be used to search for a immigration advisor here.
Write to your local MP
If you have had no response from the Home Office within the prescribed time limits, it can be useful to get your local Member of Parliament (MP) involved in your asylum, human rights or immigration case. You can find your local MP here. There are some helpful guidelines on writing to your MP on the Right to Remain website here.
Mental Health Support
Navigating the ‘hostile environment’ be traumatising, and lead to mental health problems.
Mind Charity can point you to a various resources in your local area.
The Refugee Council offer support specifically for refugees and people seeking asylum, visit their website.