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  1. About us
  2. Regulation

Regulation

Legal Status

Central England Law Centre is a registered charity, registered with the Charity Commission No 1087312 and a company limited by guarantee, registered with Companies House No 4149673.

Central England Law Centre operates from two main offices, one in Coventry and one in Birmingham. We employ solicitors and caseworkers who provide legal advice and representation on social welfare law.  Law Centres are able to employ solicitors to carry out reserved legal activities as ‘Special Bodies’ under the Legal Services Act 2007.  This is a unique category of agencies who, broadly, are able to deliver free services and have a solicitors practice.

Governance

The directors of the company are also known as trustees for the purposes of charity law. All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the Charity. Central England Law Centre has a Board of trustees who meet regularly and has fiduciary responsibility for the governance of the Law Centre; plan the strategic direction, and shape its broad policies.  The Trustees are also required to ensure that the Law Centre’s accounts are independently audited and filed with the Charities Commission and Companies House by the end of each financial year. The Company Secretary and Chief Executive attend all meetings of the Board but are not a member of it.

Organisational structure

Responsibility for the provision of services and for the delivery of the business plan is delegated to the Chief Executive. The Law Centre’s operations are guided by policies approved by the trustees to provide a framework for the day to day running of all aspects of the organisation.

We are an active member of the Law Centres Network the national voice of Law Centres and their clients, representing them at all levels of government and in various national forums.

Regulation

The solicitors employed within the Law Centre are required to comply with their regulatory obligations and in particular the Solicitors Code of Conduct; Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Practice Framework rules 2011 and SRA Handbook.  All Law Centres are also required to employ a solicitor who is qualified to supervise under the SRA Practice Framework Rules 2011.  In the case of Central England Law Centre the Head of Legal Practice is employed to fulfil this role. 

Our Immigration work is also regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner and we are registered with them to provide immigration advice. We hold the Specialist Quality Mark for our legal aid work and we also employ accredited Family Law Advance Panel members. 

Our debt advice is regulated is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our debt advisor is a  member of the Institute of Money Advice and the Money Advice Trust.  

          

    

Published: 10th January, 2018

Updated: 1st July, 2019

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Latest

  • Specialist Welfare Benefit Advisor and Student Coordinator

    We are looking for a Full Time Specialist Welfare Benefit Advisor/Student Coordinator to head up an exciting appeals service project in collaboration with Coventry University. Based at our Coventry Office (remote working as appropriate during pandemic). Salary negotiable up to £30,190 based on experience Job share or part time working may be considered

  • Welfare Benefits - Caseworker/ Solicitor – Coventry

    Based at our Coventry Office (remote working as appropriate during pandemic) Salary Scale £28,033 - £32,907 depending on experience. We seek an experienced caseworker to work as part of our Welfare Benefits team providing specialist advice and representation. Job share or part time working may be considered

  • 3. I have been given Pre-Settled Status - can I claim benefits?

    A recent Court of Appeal decision in the case of Fratila and Tanase has decided that EU nationals with pre-settled status can be treated as having a right to reside for means-tested benefits.

  • 4. What are the options for my non-EU family member?

    Spouses, civil partners, children aged under 21, dependent children aged over 21 and dependent parents or grandparents of EEA nationals (or of the EEA national’s spouse/civil partner) can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme

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  • Contact Us

  • Who we help

    Who we help

    All of our services are free. We prioritise people who would not otherwise be able to access legal advice and representation.

  • Volunteer

    Volunteer

    The Law Centre is a resource for the whole community and we rely on our amazing team of volunteers help us reach more people with our services.

  • Our Vision

    Our Vision

    We want to live in a society where people’s rights are upheld, their needs met and they are enabled to thrive. We are the largest Law Centre in the UK. We provide free specialist legal advice to people across central England.

  • Child and Family Law

    Child and Family Law

    Following the breakdown of a relationship, we provide advice and representation on all aspects of family and childcare law.

  • Asylum and Immigration Law

    Asylum and Immigration Law

    Legal advice and representation to people seeking to regularise their immigration status.

  • Funding

    Funding

    All our services are free funded by a wide range of partners and supporters.

  • Our history

    Our history

    The national Law Centre movement was started in the 1970s by radical lawyers who were disappointed in the failure of the welfare state to eradicate poverty and deliver a more equal society. Coventry Law Centre was founded in 1976 by four Councillors: Tom McLatchie, Gilbert Richards, Arthur Waugh Senior and Charles Ward. Coventry City Council has been a key supporter of our work ever since.

  • Chief Executive - Sue Bent

  • Our impact

    Every day we help people to know their legal rights and have them upheld. We change the lives of the people we help, and change society to make it fairer for all and more equal.

For general enquiries or to make an appointment contact us on:

Coventry: 02476 223 053 Birmingham: 0121 227 6540
Central England Law Centre logo

Registered office:
Oakwood House, St Patricks Road Entrance, Coventry, CV1 2HL

Email [email protected]

Phone 02476 223053

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Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No. 617398

Member of the Law Centres Federation.

Registered with the Charity Commission No. 1087312. VAT registration No. 544 9032 44

Registered in England & Wales as Coventry Law Centre Ltd, a company limited by guarantee No. 4149673