Working to protect your legal rights
Main Phone : 01246 550 674
Main MenuOn Friday 16 May the Legal Aid Agency discovered a cyber attack which took place in April, was more extensive than originally understood and that the group behind it had accessed a large amount of information relating to legal aid applicants.
They believe the group has accessed and downloaded a significant amount of personal data from those who applied for legal aid through their digital service since 2010.
At the end of March 2025 a significant proportion of our funding for our Employment Law Service came to an end. This means that we have had to reduce our team to 1 Solicitor, as well as reducing telephone call backs by 50%. We will be limited to initial telephone advice and will only be able to take on casework in exceptional circumstances. We are still providing a low cost option for different aspects of Employment Law for example Settlement Agreements and will be able to support clients who have experienced Discrimination at Work.
The Sheffield and District Legal Aid Society has awarded Derbyshire Law Centre two awards at the Annual Society Dinner at the end of February.
We are delighted to have been chosen for these awards. We work incredibly hard to offer an inclusive service that reflects our community and provide accessible, free legal advice to local residents. These awards are hugely appreciated and we’d like to thank all of the judges and other nominees for all of the help that they give in the legal community.
Happy new year to all of our friends and colleagues in the local area, we hope you had a restful festive break.
The new year brings changes for us at Derbyshire Law Centre. As some of you are aware the Law Centre was founded with a flat management structure reporting to our Board of Trustees. This management structure has allowed the organisation to respond to the needs of our community through collective decision making.
Lisa grew up in Eckington, on the border of North East Derbyshire. Talking about her upbringing Lisa said, “When I was at school the biggest career prospect was working in a nearby factory, all of the women caught a bus to another village to work there and the men went to work in the pit or the steelworks. I grew up in the midst of the mining strikes in the 1970s and 80s and witnessed first hand the destruction of our communities through widespread unemployment. I initially wanted to join the legal profession because it provided stable employment.”
Tina struggled with debt throughout numerous hospital stays and periods of being housebound. Her disability meant that she received PIP and UC and she fell behind with her rent and energy bills with rising costs. She signed up to an unaffordable Debt Management Plan and had to use her PIP to keep up with the payments rather than essential prescriptions and adaptations for her health condition.
We helped Tina end her unaffordable Debt Management Plan and get back on track with her debts. We worked with her social landlord to prevent her being evicted and energy company to make her tariff more affordable. We gave Tina free advice and helped her complete a Debt Relief Order application to write off her arrears and non-priority debts (in total over £8000).
On Friday 29th November we’re hosting a professional development workshop focused on Housing Law. This workshop provides local legal practitioners with the opportunity to gain essential insights on:
We are running eVisa clinics across Derbyshire to help support the Government’s transition to a digital immigration system. UK Visas and Immigration are creating a digital immigration system. This means they are replacing physical documents with an online record of your immigration status. This is known as an eVisa.
You don’t need to make an appointment – just turn up to a clinic!
We know that connected working between services helps clients to find the most efficient solutions to issues they’re experiencing and would like to invite local caseworkers, councillors and officers to find out more about our service to help signposting and referral across Derbyshire.
Please sign this petition and help save our vital voluntary and community services.
Derbyshire County Council is proposing cuts to discretionary funding. This means that key community groups and local charities like the Derbyshire Law Centre are at risk of underfunding.
