Law Centres Network

07/10/2026

We're pleased to share that 11 Law Centres are recipients of Legal Support Grants from The Access to Justice Foundation.

The £15 million programme will support 48 organisations across England and Wales over the next two-and-a-half years.

LCN’s Head of Policy and Profile, Nimrod Ben-Cnaan, said:

“We welcome this grant round. It is great to see eleven Law Centres, nearly one-in-four of the organisations funded, recognised for their vital role in helping people to access justice and unlock timely help.

“To these Law Centres, this grant round offers needed resource at a time when funding for the legal, advice and rights sector is becoming harder to attract, and many services need to turn people away. The money will help them strengthen their trusted local services, resolve legal problems and relieve hardship for more people.

“Still, the £15 million is not of the scale required to fix the sector’s wider funding shortfall. Early legal assistance not only resolves people’s problems; investing in it is also proven to save public money. It is essential public infrastructure, and it needs a sustained funding settlement.”
🔗 https://atjf.org.uk/news/15-million-investment-in-free-legal-support-for-communities-across-england-and-wales

06/10/2026

We welcome the extension of employment tribunal time limits.

For most employment claims, workers now have 6 months to bring a claim instead of 3. The change gives workers more time to seek advice and explore their options.

One caveat: for disputes that occurred before 1st October, the previous 3-month limit still applies.

Central England Law Centre's Katherine King recommends Acas guidance on the new rules. See comments! 👇

01/10/2026

Too right! Since 1996, inflation has eroded half the value of fees. To close that gap, the Ministry of Justice would have to double them all.

But this is not a business: it is an essential public service. Alarm bells! 🔔
🔗 https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/labour-conference-no-more-money-for-legal-aid-admits-minister/5128026.article

30/09/2026

Early legal support works. Evidence from The Access to Justice Foundation shows just how much difference it makes when people can access help at the earliest possible stage.

Since July 2023, the programme has supported more than 184,000 clients across 265,000 legal issues. 75% of those issues were resolved before reaching court or tribunal.

16 Law Centres are among the grantees. Their work illustrates a wider lesson from the programme: support works best when it is available in the places people already know and trust.

🌍 At Harrow Law Centre, staff found that some community members whose first language is not English struggle with digital services and prefer face-to-face support. In response, the Law Centre has taken advice directly into communities, partnering with local organisations where people already seek help.

💜 At Central England Law Centre, survivors of domestic abuse are supported through court proceedings that can otherwise become another setting for intimidation by their abuser. Practical support enables clients to attend with greater confidence and to participate fully.

These are examples of what early legal support looks like in practice, and of what advice organisations can do when they are properly resourced to meet people where they are. 👇

When legal problems arise, getting the right support at the right time can make all the difference.

27/09/2026

Cutting off homelessness support in one part of the system creates problems elsewhere. Hospitals and GPs are not equipped to deal with the fallout.

Public Interest Law Centre is challenging the closure of walk-in homelessness services. PILC's Florence Manders spoke to The Big Issue. 👇

Only three of London's 33 boroughs offer drop-in services for people experiencing homelessness. So people are turning to hospitals for help.

24/09/2026

The Renters' Rights Act is a landmark piece of legislation—but with the new grounds for eviction, it has left some renters more vulnerable than before.

Renters need to understand what has changed, what their rights now are, and how to navigate the new processes.

Where the Act is falling short, the government must be swift and proactive in closing the loopholes that Law Centres and other frontline support organisations are flagging up.

20/09/2026

Ten years of PILC; ten years of resistance.

From exposing spycops to saving public parks, Public Interest Law Centre has built a remarkable body of work over the past decade.

Explore PILC's new interactive timeline to see the full picture. 👇

A decade of strategic litigation, community partnership and legal education — explore PILC's 10-year story, our core themes, and a timeline of key cases and milestones.

17/09/2026

Congratulations to Catherine Atkinson MP on her election as Justice Committee Chair.

When Catherine was Chair of the Society of Labour Lawyers, we contributed to "Towards a National Legal Service", a pamphlet on building a fairer justice system.

We wish Catherine every success and look forward to working with her as she helps turn that vision into reality.

The Society of Labour Lawyers (SLL) was founded some 75 years ago, in part at least because of the recognition of a significant unmet need for legal services, or, as we now say, of the need to enhance access to justice.

10/09/2026

South West London Law Centres runs free guidance webinars on the issues people face most often—with new topics being added all the time.

Upcoming sessions cover:
🏠 Housing and eviction
🛟 Benefits
🪙 Money and debt
💼 Employment rights

Is there a topic you'd like to see covered? Let SWLLC know.

We offer a series of free webinars and workshops on a range of subjects. Our free webinars and workshops last for around one hour and give you the chance

04/09/2026

Did you know?

Nearly a quarter of people in England and Wales live in a desert.

On a mass scale: people facing homelessness with no legal help. Workers with strong cases losing out on their rights. Families breaking down without support to navigate it.

The Justice Committee has just handed the government a roadmap. Time to make legal aid work again.

Analysis of local authority data finds that 14.49 million people in England and Wales, or 23.4% of the population, live in an area classed as a legal aid desert...