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• Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB)

  in most major towns and cities. Staff can give free legal advice on a variety of issues connected to social welfare problems and debt. Local solicitors and law students volunteer to give this advice. The CAB can also advise on local solicitors offering public funded advice
• Law Centres and Local Advice Centres


  offer free advice and specialise in social welfare law. They tend to be in areas where there is a shortage of Legal practices
• Free Representation Units

  are staffed by volunteer law students and newly qualified professionals under the supervision of case workers. The Units offer free legal advice to those who cannot afford to pay and are unable to obtain legal aid
• Bar Pro Bono Unit 


  situated in London and offers free advice on most areas of law
• There is a set amount of government money given to civil legal aid each year. Austerity has resulted in the amount of money being reduced, substantially on a yearly basis but the number of cases needing legal aid increases.
• The number of people eligible to access civil legal aid has fallen by approximately 82% since 2010. Family cases have been particularly disadvantaged by the cuts. Only those with very low income/capital are eligible for government funding
• Different regions are allocated different sums of money and the cuts result in the poorest cities suffering unduly. This means some areas in the country are not being given access to justice
• The number of providers of publicly funded services has declined over the year. Solicitors firms providing fixed-fee civil legal aid work has dropped from approximately 3,750 to 2,500 in a seven-year period denying many from access to justice. This results in a lack of providers in certain parts of the country leading to ‘advice deserts’.
• Most types of ADR are non-adversarial, and parties are encouraged to cooperate and compromise. This is better for the parties' relationships and their future. It avoids the winner, loser scenario and avoids, to some extent, bad feelings.
• ADR overall is a far cheaper way of dealing with a civil dispute. Whilst there may be some costs, these are unlikely to be as high as court costs
• Most types of ADR can be dealt with quickly without the formality of court. There are no strict rules of disclosure and witnesses making the whole process quicker
• ADR allows for flexibility. Parties can choose where and when they want the dispute solving to take place. They can try and fit hearings around everyday life
• Conditional Fee Arrangements - also known as ‘no win, no fee’ arrangements. Agreement between solicitor and a client that if the solicitor wins, the client pays the agreed legal costs along with a success fee. If the case is lost the client does not pay.
• Pro Bono e.g. Law Works & Advocate (formerly the Bar Pro Bono Unit) charities offering free legal advice from lawyers for people who cannot get public funding and cannot afford to pay
• University law schools 


  many offer pro bono clinics run by students assisted by academic staff/specialist lawyers
• Trade Union

  provide legal services for their members particularly for workplace issues.