Who can help? - key sources of information for older and disabled people (view report contents)
Legal advice
Law centres
To find legal help you can go to an advice centre, look in the Yellow Pages under Solicitors or look up the Solicitors’ Regional Directory in your library. Fees can be high. There are over 50 law centres which provide free legal advice. Most of them are in London and in the north of England, so some areas are not covered. Try your Phonebook or Law Centres Federation 020 7387 8570.
Q. Can I get legal aid?
Some solicitors carry out legal aid work, which means you can get free or low cost legal help if your income and capital are below set limits. Anyone can apply for legal aid, but whether you qualify or not depends on your financial position. Look for solicitors which display the legal aid franchise logo - this means they have been independently vetted and provide a quality service. To find a local legal aid franchised organisation - freephone 0845 608 1122 (The Community Legal Service Directory Line)
Disability Law Service - provides local people with legal advice and representation on issues related to disability - 020 7791 9800 or advice@dls.org.uk. Free - but they are very busy.
Q. Do I need a will? Where can I get help writing one?
Wills
A will shows how you want your money and property to be divided when you die. If you do not make one your estate will be divided according to strict legal rules, which may not be what you want. There can be hidden dangers in writing your own will. If you are in doubt, consult a solicitor.
Some charities provide cheap will-writing services using qualified solicitors. These include Age Concern England - £60 for a single will and £80 for two similar wills such as partners might make - all done by post (not available in Scotland) - Tel: Age Concern 020 8765 7527 (Supporter Services Department)
The factsheets Making your Will (No.7) and Dealing with Someone’s Estate (No.14) and Legal Arrangements for Managing Financial Affairs (No 22) are free and available from the Age Concern Information Line freephone 0800 00 99 66.
A book Wills and Probate is published by the Consumers’ Association £11.99 freephone 0800 252 100.
Q. How do I know if I should trust someone arriving at my door?
Doorstep selling
Be wary of salespeople who call without warning or in response to an invitation you have been persuaded to make. Don’t let anyone in if you are at all suspicious of them. Be on your guard - do not sign or buy anything or agree to have work done unless you have thought about it carefully. Consider whether you want, need, can afford, or will ever use what is being offered, and whether it is good value. You can simply say that you never buy from doorstep sellers. Dial 999 if the caller refuses to leave.
See the Consumer
Direct website to find information on how the law protects you, your
rights as a consumer and there are useful practical factsheets.
Consumer Direct offer a telephone helpline with trained advisors
Tel: 08454 04 05 06
(open from 8 am – 6.30 pm Monday to Friday, 9 am – 1pm Saturday,
excluding bank holidays and public holidays)
• A Welsh-speaking Consumer Direct service is available on 08454
04 05 05
• Textphone users can call 08451 28 13 84
• Calls to the Consumer Direct 0845 numbers are charged at no more
4p per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers
or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone service
provider.
• Consumer Direct is available in England, Scotland and Wales.
• Consumers from Northern Ireland should contact ConsumerLine on
08456 00 62 62.
Buying goods and services at home and Top tips for
dealing with bogus callers - free information sheets from Help
the Aged 020 7278 1114.
You can also get help from your local Trading Standards Department, listed in your phonebook under the name of your local authority or call the Office of Fair Trading 08457 22 44 99.
Legitimate callers such as meter readers and Council staff carry an identity
card which you should ask to see. Genuine survey interviewers should be
able to prove who they are and who they represent. If you are in doubt
make a note of the name of the company and call the
Market Research Society freephone 0500 396 999.
Page updated February 2008
Report contents
Introduction
Communication
Caring for someone
Getting
around outside
Holidays
and clubs
Legal
advice
Making
your home easier to live in
Money
More
information and advice
