Call for people in need to access legal advice support services

People in need of legal advice are being urged to come forward and see what support is available to them.

It comes as the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on people’s personal finances and increases the need for support on matters such as housing, welfare benefit appeals and debt.

Advicelink Cymru – a Welsh Government funded service including Citizens Advice and other services – is designed to help people most in need of advice services, wherever they are in Wales.

The service can be reached on 0800 702 2020.

Luke Young, Assistant Director of Citizens Advice Cymru said: “It’s important people know that help and support is available.

“At Citizens Advice we can put you in touch with local organisations who offer free specialist advice, we can check you are receiving everything you’re entitled to, and we can help you get crisis food and energy support.

“Our AdviceLink Cymru service is designed to help those who need advice most to find a way forward. Please do contact your local office, visit our website or call our national advice line.”

Despite many areas of justice not being devolved, the Welsh Government’s Single Advice Fund supports advice services across Wales with around £11m a year in funding, helping support services like the Speakeasy Law Centre.

Since the fund was introduced in January 2020 it has supported 144,000 people deal with more than 660,000 social welfare problems. It has helped people to claim £83m of additional income, writing off debts worth more than £23m.

Mick Antoniw, Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution, said: “The Speakeasy Law Centre is providing a valuable service and I welcomed the chance to hear how it is helping people.

“High quality legal advice can prevent issues from spiralling and becoming more serious, and I encourage people across Wales to take advantage of support available to them if they need it.

“Information and advice services are even more important because of the sweeping real-terms cuts to legal aid over the last decade, which is putting access to advice out of reach for more and more people and increasing the burden on volunteers.

“We will be stressing the importance of information and specialist advice services, and the need to increase levels of funding, in the upcoming UK Government review of civil legal aid.”

Jane Hutt, Minister for Social Justice, added: “As people’s finances become more and more stretched this only increases the risk of debt, housing and welfare problems.

“People shouldn’t struggle in silence. Support is available and we encourage people who need help to take advantage of the services available to them – Advicelink Cymru is an excellent place to start.”