Civil Legal Advice (CLA)

You might be able to get free and confidential advice from Civil Legal Advice (CLA) as part of legal aid (external link)if you are in England or Wales. 

If you are eligible, you can get help from CLA for problems including: 

  • debt, if your home is at risk 
  • housing, if you are homeless or at risk of being evicted 
  • domestic abuse 
  • separating from an abusive partner, when you are making arrangements for children or sorting out money and property 
  • a child being taken into care 
  • special education needs 
  • discrimination  
  • some child abduction cases 

Check if you are eligible 

  • Check if you are eligible for legal aid (external link). You will get CLA’s contact details if they might be able to help with your problem 
  • Contact CLA and confirm you are eligible by explaining your problem and providing proof of your finances 
  • If it sounds like you are eligible, you will be put through to a legal adviser. They will decide what advice you can get 
  • If CLA cannot help you, they will suggest somewhere else you might be able to get advice 

You can ask CLA to call you back if you do not want to pay for the call. You can also:  

Proof you will need to provide 

Have the following with you when you speak to CLA: 

  • recent payslips (if you are working) 
  • bank statements 
  • details of any savings and investments you have 
  • details of any benefits you get 
  • mortgage statements and a current valuation for any property you own 

Complain about CLA 

You can contact CLA if you are unhappy about the service you have received from them. 

Civil Legal Advice (CLA) 

Telephone: 0345 345 4 345 

Minicom: 0345 609 6677 

Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm 

Saturday, 9am to 12:30pm 

You can also text ‘legalaid’ and your name to 80010 to ask CLA to call you back. This costs the same as a normal text message.