£7.9m advice service opens its doors in Manchester

Manchester residents can now get help with legal problems from the new, city-wide Community Legal Advice Service (CLAS).

This 'one-stop shop' advice service will enable people to get help with a wide variety of legal problems.
 
Advice will be provided at several permanent sites and outreach locations throughout the city. Advisers will offer a wide range of generalist legal advice plus specialist help in debt, housing, welfare benefits, community care and family law, enabling people to get all the help they need from one place. Immigration specialist services will also be available at any of the sites by appointment.
 
Jointly funded by the Legal Services Commission and Manchester City Council, the CLA Service will have nearly £8m injected into it over the next three years. It will be run by Manchester Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in conjunction with Shelter, Glaisyers Solicitors, Platt Halpern Solicitors and Cheetham Hill Advice Centre.
 
To ensure clients have easy access to help and advice, the centres will stay open longer hours than previously existing services. Some locations are running drop-in services, or residents can call 08444 111 222 to make an appointment at a location convenient to them.
 
Hugh Barrett, Executive Director at the Legal Services Commission said: "I am delighted that the new Manchester Community Legal Advice service is now up and running.
 
"The new CLAS services will mean Mancunians can access high-quality legal advice speedily and efficiently, without having to be referred to different locations for different types of advice."
 
Councillor Glynn Evans, Executive Member for Adult Services at Manchester City Council, said: "This investment in legal services is great news for Manchester residents. The six centres will provide information on all services in one place and it will make it much simpler for residents to get the help and advice they need and ensure that any legal advice and representation they need is within easy reach."
 
Andy Brown, Chief Executive of Manchester CAB said: "By bringing all these advice services under one roof, we have achieved our ultimate objective of ensuring that people can access the highest possible quality advice, at the right time, first time whilst at the same time providing them with excellent facilities."