Latest updates
15 September 2007
Community Legal Service Direct update
Community Legal Service Direct has launched a free online debt remedy tool and released a timetable for the helpline's new specialist family advice pilot, which is expected to be lauched in late summer 2007.
Debt remedy tool
The free debt remedy tool is available on the Community Legal Service Direct website at clsdirect.org.uk.
The tool directs website visitors to the most appropriate source of information or advice, which might involve seeking specialist advice from the Community Legal Service, contacting a Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) debt counsellor or completing a detailed questionnaire. The questionnaire is then used as the basis for a personalised debt leaflet and budget management plan. The process is completely anonymous and confidential, and clients are referred to the Community Legal Service Direct helpline for further help if the debt is a disputed or priority debt, such as rent arrears.
The tool was developed in partnership with CCCS, the UK's
leading debt charity, dedicated to providing free, confidential
counselling and money management assistance and advice on
dealing with creditors.
The debt remedy tool comes at a time when the Community Legal
Service Direct website is thriving. The website received over
three million visits in 2006-7, with visits in March 2007 at an
all-time high. In addition, over one million copies of the
Community Legal Service Direct and AdviceNow information
leaflets were downloaded in 2006-7.
The Dealing with Debt leaflet was downloaded approximately 3,000 times each month in the past year and the debt-related FAQs are consistently popular, so the new debt remedy tool is sure to become an equally popular resource on the website. The tool will further help Community Legal Service Direct to continue to meet the needs of clients.
Specialist family advice tender
Community Legal Service Direct's helpline speaks to large
numbers of people who would like family law advice but
specialist family advice is not currently available over the
phone.
The LSC has recently concluded a tender process for a family
casework service that will become part of the Community Legal
Service Direct's 0845 345 4 345 helpline.
The family service will initially be a 12-month pilot to test
the demand for specialist family advice over the phone. The
pilot will determine what type of family problems can be dealt
with in this way.
After a competitive tender, the Johnson Partnership Solicitors,
O'Garra's Solicitors and Bostalls were awarded three-year
contracts to operate the expanded service.
The scheduled date for launching the pilot has been moved back
to late summer 2007.
Taken from Focus 54 August 2007