Devon Law Centre

Devon Law Centre offers specialist legal advice in various areas of Social Welfare law. Advice is provided free of charge to all service users but the provision of advice in some of the areas of law we offer is subject to means testing.

Advice and representation under the Legal Help Scheme in the areas of Community Care, Education, Housing and Immigration are funded by the Legal Services Commission (LSC) and, as such, the service is available only to those who meet the LSC’s financial eligibility criteria. This is often referred to as legal aid.

The Homelessness Prevention Projects assists those facing eviction from their home. This service is free to all clients thanks to funding from the John Paul Getty Jr Trust and Plymouth City Council.

Advice in Discrimination in the provision of goods and services is provided to all clients, irrespective of financial eligibility, who have suffered discrimination as a result of disability, race, religion/belief, sex/gender, sexual orientation and age (in certain circumstances only). We are able to take court action on behalf of some clients. Unfortunately, we are not currently able to offer advice on discrimination in employment matters.

The Asylum Appellate Project provides assistance to all asylum seekers living in Devon who have been refused funding to pursue an appeal in the appellate authorities. This project is funded jointly by Lankelly Chase and AB Charitable Trust.

Our Welfare Benefits/Community Care advice service to the over 60s living in Devon has been very successful but the Big Lottery funding for this service comes to an end in September 2009.