What is Free Legal Answers?
Free Legal Answers is an online platform where people on low incomes can describe a legal problem or ask a legal question and receive pro bono legal advice. The focus is on early/initial legal advice on civil law matters. This initiative is piloted by LawWorks in England and Wales.
Referral organisations taking part in the pilot will be strongly encouraged to only refer individuals who are on a low annual income (based on average minimum income standards).
Free Legal Answers is based on a service in the United States supported by the American Bar Association. LawWorks has been granted a licence to launch a similar website service in England and Wales. Deloitte UK have kindly provided project management and technical expertise to assist in configuring and testing the website to fit the legal environment in England and Wales.
The aim of Free Legal Answers is to complement existing sources of legal advice and support. The website will include sources of advice and information, and will also encourage potential users to investigate whether they may be eligible for legal aid.
Our volunteer lawyers can answer questions in the following areas of civil law only - Consumer Rights; Family; Employment; and Housing. If your question is urgent or complex, our charity has a list of legal clinics that may be able to help quicker here.
Am I eligible to ask a question on Free Legal Answers?
Free Legal Answers was created to provide initial legal advice for individuals who cannot afford it and may not be eligible for legal aid.
To see if you are eligible on Free Legal Answers and to sign up, we ask you a few questions. To see the questions please go back to the main page, click on Get Started, fill in the ‘New Client’ form and answer a few questions. This may take two to five minutes. When requested, please use the Organisation login provided by your referral agency or the details included in the User Agreement.
How do I know if I am eligible for legal aid?
To see if you are eligible for legal aid and for more information, please follow this link: https://www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid
I want to ask a question and my matter may be time-sensitive, what can I do?
If you have an important or urgent legal deadline, or the matter may be time-sensitive, we ask you to seek alternative ways of support and you should not rely on receiving assistance in time from using the website. We cannot guarantee that a volunteer lawyer will choose to answer your legal question.
We aim to support you effectively by encouraging lawyers to prioritise questions with an approaching court date, however we cannot guarantee that your question will be answered on time for your hearing. You may find an answer to your question or useful information in Other sources of help or advice area of the website here.
The Free Legal Answers website should not be relied upon as a source of advice or support if you (or someone you know) is vulnerable or may be at risk of harm.
How do I ask a question on Free Legal Answers?
To ask a question on Free Legal Answers, you need to have an account. To create a free account on Free Legal Answers, please use the Get Started option on the landing/first page or click here, and then follow the instruction provided by the website. If you have not been referred to us by an organisation, the codes to set up/register your own account are available on the User Agreement page.