Disability discrimination

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Useful contacts 

Find an advocate

To find advocacy services and groups in your area, you could call Mind's Legal Line or contact your local Mind.

If you're in hospital, you can also contact:

• the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS) in England
• the Community Health Council in Wales.

In some circumstances, you may be legally entitled to get the support of an advocate. See our page on your legal rights to advocacy for more information.

Other organisations

Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas)

0300 123 1100 (helpline)
18001 0300 123 1100 (textphone)
acas.org.uk
Advice and guidance on workplace issues and employment law, including an Early Conciliation service.

Civil Legal Advice (CLA)

gov.uk/civil-legal-advice
Can tell you if you're eligible for legal aid, and give you free and confidential legal advice if so.

Coram Children's Legal Centre

childrenslegalcentre.com
Provides free legal information, advice and representation for children, young people, their families, carers and professionals.

Disability Rights UK

disabilityrightsuk.org
Information and support for people living with a disability.

Employment Tribunal

gov.uk/courts-tribunals/employment-tribunal
Hears claims from people who may have been treated unfairly by an employer or potential employer.

Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS)

0808 800 0082 (helpline)
0808 800 0084 (textphone)
equalityadvisoryservice.com
Advice on issues relating to equality and human rights, including guidance for disabled people.

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

equalityhumanrights.com
Promotes and monitors human rights and equality.

Independent Parental Special Education Advice (IPSEA)

ipsea.org.uk
Provides information, advice and support for families of children with specialist educational needs and disabilities.

Law Centres Network

lawcentres.org.uk
Information about Law Centres, which defend the legal rights of people who can't afford a lawyer. Includes a searchable directory.

Law Society

lawsociety.org.uk
Professional association for solicitors in England and Wales. Includes a searchable directory of solicitors.

LawWorks

lawworks.org.uk
Connects volunteer lawyers with people who aren’t eligible for legal aid and can’t afford to pay for legal advice. Includes details of free legal advice clinics.

Office for Disability Issues

gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-disability-issues
Supports the development of policies to remove inequality between disabled and non-disabled people.

Shelter Cymru

0345 075 5005
sheltercymru.org.uk
Provides free, confidential advice on housing and homelessness in Wales.

Shelter England

0808 800 4444
england.shelter.org.uk
Provides free, confidential advice on housing and homelessness in England.

This information was published in August 2019. We will revise it in 2021.

References are available on request. If you would like to reproduce any of this information, see our page on permissions and licensing.

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