UK aid to protect 7,000 Commonwealth veterans of the British Armed Forces from extreme poverty READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-aid-to-protect-7000-commonwealth-veterans-of-the-british-armed-forces-from-extreme-poverty

I booked disability assistance in Stansted Airport. The driver and his colleague of the disability vehicle taking disabled passengers from the plane to the airport building acted unprofessional and reckless. When the car started driving (and speeding!), the driver left the door opened right next to where an elderly passenger sat, she was petrified. After some commotion the car stopped and they closed the door. Then the car started speeding again and then suddenly braked throwing me to the floor, I was wearing a spinal brace at the time. They were saying they drove into a chain that was supposed to have a sign on it and it didn’t, trying to justify that it wasn’t the driver’s fault (although, had they not been speeding, I believe they would've seen the chain and even if they had to break I would not have fallen). Despite the incident, I was not allowed a doctor, any medical help, not even a first aid box for a plaster, etc. When I asked to speak to a manager, I was told the manager wasn’t there. I wanted to log a complaint, but they wouldn’t allow me in any way to record the incident, for various reasons they made up. Absolutely everything was refused, apart from a glass of water. I was travelling alone, and I remember severely shaking at one point. All of this should be on CCTVs. I had refused to leave the airport until a complaint/incident was logged and a first aid box was given. The guy said there were no first aid boxes around, or to that effect, and there was nowhere to log the incident or complaint. As I refused to leave, he then paraded me around the airport in the wheelchair while he (non-enthusiastically) kept asking random employees for a plaster and how to log this incident, this took a long time and it was obvious he was trying to get me tired of this so I would drop everything and leave. It was a humiliation of the first order and I can’t begin to express how stressful this was. In the end, I wasn’t’ going to leave the airport, so he had no choice but to get me a plaster, which he found on a colleague, and apparently logged a report on their computer in the disability office. Still, I wasn’t allowed a copy of the report or a reference number. I was assured that someone would contact me about this. No one ever contacted me. As the result of this incident and how I was dragged around the airport my prebooked transport was already gone. This was not a difficult hour of the night and the airport would not help me with getting home. I had money for a bus that went to Victoria station in London, so I got that, but I have a huge memory blank of how I got home that night, I think I was so stressed or in shock I have a memory loss. For many months I was so stressed about this incident that I couldn’t even fly to my cousin’s wedding in Europe. I couldn’t face contacting Stansted airport to chase up this incident either as when I would think about it I would go breathless and my heart would go into palpitations and out of rhythm (I have a medical heart condition). Some months later, when I could get myself to do it, I wrote to Stansted airport to find out about that complaint someone was supposed to get back to me about. I learnt I was mislead in the airport and there was no complaint on the system. Then I sent them a fresh complaint by email, they accepted everything that happened, but blamed me for it as apparently it was my fault I didn’t put a seat belt on in the disability vehicle. (Note: as a result of my heart condition I often feel dizzy and faint so I can easily overlook things like seatbelts. I book special assistance in the airport to help me physically with basic things like mobility and seatbelts. I don’t understand why this is my fault). The complaint was also not accepted properly because I emailed them just over 6 months after the incident (-apparently what I logged in Stansted airport was an incident not a complaint – a technicality I didn't know about, and apparently I had 6 months to log a complaint – another technicality no one told me about). I felt like I was a victim of some sort of Stansted airport mafia. I found it impossible to complaint to Stansted airport. What can I do about this please? Is there anywhere else I can take my complaint to? Or is this all at the discretion of the airport? I feel the incidents that happened in Stansted airport, how they were handled, and how passengers like me are presented with barriers to complain about such events makes Stansted airport a very dangerous place for disabled passengers. Any advise or feedback is most welcome.

In 2014, I was due in court for an alleged crime which was fitted up and racist. my wife and I signed to apply for LAA, and it was based on the earnings she was receiving as I was a poor musician. before the case date or I even had a Barristor, I had Rossendales harassing me to pay them £586. 00 per month, which I retaliated withe vitriolic replies. The case date was not set up until Oct, and by that time I had ignored all notices from Rossendales, and was going through nasty Divorce. As soon as I was divorced they started harassing me again, but I am fighting this tooth and nail because they have not bothered to go after my nasty ex wife, just me, and their insipid excuses is that I was the one who signed the agreement, my argument is that under the Consumer Credit act 1974, this is a joint agreement, hence both parties are responsible for the debt and the bailiff fees etc. They have visited my house and I received several letters with costs and threats to take control, to which I have vitriolically replied stating my case which seems to fall on deaf ears. I have made complaints through Resolve, and to Matrons and the LAA, which seem too have stopped the visits, and I have read all the anti bailiff blogs , and the law , but these seem to be a law unto themselves. Fortunately I have a partner with whom I am able to stay with, whilst I make my case, and can take evasive action, like purchasing my own wheel clamps for when I do have to leave my car on the driveway, when I am at my address. My question is : Am I right that the CCA agreement is a joint one, or am I liable for these ridiculous fees plus the LA costs?

Is a mobility scooter an aid/device for the disabled? This is the subject of this thread and how some LA's/HA,s see them as a pain. But legally are they an aid/device and or other ? Please bear in mind that I already know this answer, I am hoping that others will see it differently. So pop quiz time can you answer the following? Please supply links to your answers and an explanation... A, are they an aid? (yes/no/other) B, are they a device for the disabled only? (yes/no/other) C, can a LA/HA ban them from their properties without breaking the law? (yes/no/other) what laws are/not broken))

If people give to charity via a giving site, for example, just giving, can they gift aid with there donation, or is that only by the registered person..

A major restructuring of the criminal legal aid system in England and Wales has been scrapped, Justice Secretary Michael Gove has confirmed. Mr Gove said he had "decided not to go ahead" with plans to cut duty solicitor contracts at police stations and magistrates' courts by two thirds. He also suspended for 12 months a second 8.75% cut in legal aid fees. Labour shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer said the government's plans had "descended into utter chaos". The proposed cuts - drawn up by former Justice Secretary Chris Grayling - would have reduced the number of legal aid contracts from 1,600 to 527. However, Mr Gove said there were "real problems" in pressing ahead with the proposals. BBC

Hi I hope somebody can help as I'm stressed I was given full legal aid for a trial in Aug 2010... In July 2012 a letter arrived at our home addressed to me from a company called rossendales ltd asking for £8000 towards my legal fees they were recovering a dept i had never been notified about.. My wife took advice from CAB to write back stating i did not live at this address we heard nothing back... I was released from prison in august 2013 so near 23 months ago and 35 months since my wife wrote back to rossendales.. Then out of the blue yesterday i get a letter stating i need to pay ... Help please as i don't have 8k i am working on min hours and min wages my wife is unable to work due to ill health we just can't afford anything.. we have sold anything of value just to live.. I called them tonight only to be told that if i don't pay within 7 days then they would goto court and i would have to pay the fees and intrest @ 6%... The letter states " Notice of intention to enforce" ... Thanks

What ?

Will Aid month is running during November when solicitors offer to write a will in return for a donation to charity. But spaces can run out quickly so book ahead. Will Aid is a special partnership between the legal profession and nine of the UK's best-loved charities. Every November, participating solicitors waive their fee for writing a basic Will. Instead, they invite their clients to make a donation to Will Aid. Each year, thousands of people use the Will Aid scheme. They not only gain peace of mind by writing their Will, they help fund life-changing charity work at the same time. How Will Aid works If you wish to write a will through Will Aid, click here to find out which local solicitors are participating. You contact your chosen solicitor directly to make an appointment. Your solicitor will advise you on what you need to take into consideration and will then draft your Will. Your solicitor will waive their usual fee, inviting you to make a donation to the Will Aid charities instead. Suggested minimum donations are £90 for a basic single Will or £135 for a pair of basic mirror Wills. If your Will is more complex, you and your solicitor can agree a separate fee for the extra work outside of the Will Aid arrangement. All the money raised by Will Aid is then divided between the nine Will Aid charities. For more information and to find a participating solicitor near you go to Will Aid.

Hello, please point me in the direction of relevant documents/websites that provide information on the financial criteria that have to be met to be eligible for Legal Aid? The gov.uk - checker only allows for assessing whether the issue falls into one of the remaining categories which are still eligible for Legal Aid, not about the criteria regarding the means assessment..? Thanks

The Ministry of Justice is planning to introduce Price Competitive Tendering for criminal legal aid. Instead of being entitled to choose a lawyer to represent them based on quality, they will be allocated one on the basis of whoever can do the job for the lowest price. Under the proposals, England and Wales would be divided into 42 procurement areas. Law firms would tender for a share in the right to provide most criminal legal aid services within an area. Clients would no longer be represented by a lawyer of their choice unless they had specific needs. No choice of lawyer for persons accused of crime (or, as Grayling has publicly described them, “criminals”). Criminal defence franchises to be allocated to the lowest bidder in a ‘race to the bottom’. All bids must be at least 17.5% less than existing solicitors’ rates (already slashed in recent years) but the lowest bid will win. Individual accused to be allocated to one of these “lowest bidder” franchises according to name, or date of birth, or perhaps postcode. No change of representative allowed save in exceptional circumstances. No incentive to do a good job: the contracts will guarantee the successful “lowest bidder” franchise a specified share of the work for 3 to 5 years. No opportunity for an accused to use a trusted family solicitor with a good track record. No access to legal aid for anyone with a combined household income of more than about £37,000 a year. Note that anyone who pays for proper representation and is acquitted after trial cannot recover their actual legal expenses, but only the derisory equivalent of legal aid rates. Advocates fees (already slashed for those doing the most serious work by about 40% from their 1997 levels: yes, 1997, a full 16 years ago!) to be slashed again, by about 30% in many cases. Any advocate acting for a defendant in a long trial to be, in effect, ‘punished’ by reducing their daily fee to a figure which can be as low as £14 a day. No-one of ability or experience could do a proper job and make a living on these terms. Shysters will flood in and deliver a “go through the motions” service: minimal ability, minimal effort, minimal cost. A sham of a justice system. Grayling’s own staff, at an embarrassing “road show” in Reading on 7th May 2013, were quite unable to point to any provisions in these proposals which were capable of ensuring quality of representation. http://criminalbarassociation.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/grayling-wrecks-justice-system-a-damning-indictment-from-peter-cooper/ Once you've read the above link, please please please sign this petition: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/48628

Hi, this is my first time here and I really need some help/advice. My partner claimed legal aid on the advice of his solicitor. Neither we nor the solicitor ever received an order granting legal aid but Rossendales immediately began sending letters requesting approx £7,500 to be paid in 3 monthly instalments (gulp!!). My partner arranged with his solicitor that he would pay the solicitor privately for a reduced amount. Apparently, because the solicitor can make a claim against the legal aid fund, Rossendales will not close the file until the solicitor sends them a "letter of undertaking" stating that he will not claim against the fund. After 4 months we are at the stage where the courts have been informed that the offer of legal aid has been refused, the court, the solicitor and my partner have all informed Rossendales of this but Rossendales still refuse to accept anything other than "letter of undertaking" laid out in a prescribed format. The solicitor states he has told Rossendales that legal aid has been refused and now he will not enter into any correspondence saying that any contract between my partner and Rossendales and the LSC is nothing to do with him. Rossendales HAVE put my partners file on hold so no enforcement action at the moment, and they are writing to the solicitor. Meanwhile, my partner has dispensed with the solicitors services due to his complete lack of help on the matter and the solicitor is requesting his fees immediately. My partner feels as though he is "stuck in the middle of" Rossendales and the solicitor with both demanding money and there is nobody to intervene on his behalf. We have made a formal complaint to the solicitor who "rejects as frivolous" our complaints. The legal ombudsman is now starting an investigation but they suggest we should pay the solicitors fees now. Please don't think that we are trying to avoid paying as the solicitor has done the work but he is refusing to contact Rossendales who sooner or later will take enforcement action. I have tried to find some way of contacting the LSC direct but their website seems to be for legal practioners. I have the feeling that the solicitor will start legal proceedings soon for his fees and I am at the end of my tether. Thanks.

Hi, not sure if i am posting in the right forum but need some information. Due to claiming income support,I was receiving legal aid for a family case involving my ex getting access to our son. I was in receipt of it for about 18 months and had quite a few letters going back and forth from my solicitor plus court hearings in that time. before I stopped recieving legal aid I met my new partner and moved in with him. He owns his own house which i now jointly own as were got married a month after I stopped recieving the legal aid. My question is, do I have to repay any of the legal aid I received and if so how do i go about doing this? if I dont get in touch with anyone about it then can they ivestigate into it and see that I now own property and want it back due to that? My ex is quite bitter about how things and I am worried that he will try and get me in trouble even though I am not sure if he'd be able to as not sure if I should be paying back the legal aid. Any advice welcome Thanks

Hello, does anyone know if legal aid is available for ET cases please? I had a look at the department of justice website and it is a little confusing. The site seems to offer legal aid for employment issues but not for representation at an ET. I'm confused by that. I'm on benefits, rent accommodation and I have a redundancy payment sitting in the bank Does anyone know if people have got legal aid for ET hearings?

Hi - I'm a new user here, I don't really understand forums but am desperate for some help and had been looking at a similar thread re. the LSC registering a Statutory Charge after 14 years but that has not been commented on since 2010. Unfortunately, I have a deadline coming up on 2 November so thought I best post a new thread due to the time constraints! I would really appreciate any guidance or advice as this is becoming very worrying and stressful now. This is going to be quite complicated to explain but here goes... It's a very long story but my parent's had some issues when they got into difficulty with their mortgage payments and had to attend a number of court hearings, paid for by both themselves and Legal Aid. So they did receive Legal Aid back in 1991 - but did not recover or preserve money or property as a result of that Legal Aid (property already preserved prior to Legal Aid being issued – Legal Aid was subsequently issued to take counsel’s advice re. a counter claim, and never actually took place). My father has since passed away and my mother and I now own the property. We (my mum and I) received letters (B136 Notice) from the Land Registry dated 8 August 2012 informing us that they had received an application from the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to "register a restriction in the Proprietorship Register" of our property as a Statutory Charge has arisen in it's favour under either under the Legal Aid Act 1988 or Access to Justice Act 1999. The letter stated that the Land Registry relied on the LSC's statement and had no further details of how the charge arose in this case. We were instructed to either Object to the Application or Consent to it before 12noon on 30 August 2012. We sent replies to Object to the application on the grounds that:- 1. The LSC are out of time under Section 20 of the Limitation Act 1980. 2. The LSC said that the property had now converted into Registered Land status from Unregistered land but this was not true and evidence was provided to prove this. 3. Statutory Charge does not apply as my parent's preserved the property at their own cost prior to Legal Aid. There were then a few letters back and forth, with us providing more information and the Land Registry saying they would put our objections to the LSC (although they haven't been passing on much info in our direction). We were then asked if we were prepared to negotiate, to which we agreed. The correspondence has now culminated in a letter from the Land Registry dated 12 October noting that whilst we are prepared to negotiate, the LSC are not and we now have until 2 November to withdraw our objections or the case will now be referred to the adjudicator! It feels as though our valid objections are being constantly overlooked (i.e. we have put points forward but time and time again they don't refer to these in their responses and in fact state things which we haven't said!). We are now really concerned as know that once the case is referred to the adjudicator events are completely out of our hands and we will start incurring costs (which we can ill afford – my mother is retired). We just have to trust they are not working hand in glove from the lack of information and clarification being provided when put forward queries. Any help would be much appreciated. (Incidentally, I notice that some messages mention you will get more help by posting in a sub-forum but I am unsure how to do this / which would be best?) Many Thanks.

Help yourself and charity this November During November, Will Aid teams up with over 1,000 solicitors across the UK to provide basic wills. Having your Will written professionally can give you great peace of mind. Use a local solicitor who has signed up to Will Aid and you can enjoy the added feel-good factor of supporting nine leading UK charities. Instead of paying your solicitor’s fee, you will be invited to make a donation to charity. Suggested minimum donation is £90 for a basic Will, £135 for a pair of basic mirror Wills and £40 for a codicil. Making a legally valid Will is the only way to be sure that, in the event of your death, your money and possessions go to the people and causes you care about. If you do not make a Will, those you leave behind may suffer the distress of coping with legal complications as well as losing a loved one. Many married people believe that their possessions would automatically go to their partner. Without a Will, though, that is not necessarily the case. And if they are not married, their partner could receive nothing. http://www.willaid.org.uk/