Advice Sector

This section provides an overview for advice professionals of the targeted projects we fund to assist people who have civil problems.

Directly targeted assistance: Civil Legal Assistance Offices

The commencement of Part V of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 allowed us to employ solicitors to give advice and assistance under the Act, to act for persons receiving legal aid, or to work with local organisations. We have used these provisions to provide targeted projects in selected areas. These ‘Part V’ projects had a limited life-span and enabled us to understand the need for directly targeted assistance.

As a result of these projects, we now manage a network of Civil Legal Assistance Offices (CLAOs) across Scotland that can assist people who require legal help by either referring them to local solicitors or advice agencies, signposting them to other forms of help, or where appropriate, taking on the case themselves. The offices are based in Inverness (serving Highland and Islands), Lochgilphead (serving Argyll & Bute), Aberdeen (serving Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire) and Edinburgh (serving Edinburgh City and the Lothians). Further information about the CLAO network is available here.

Grant funded projects

We are responsible for the administration and funding of a range of projects across Scotland which have been established to help people with certain civil problems. These projects assist people at risk of eviction and repossession and their linked debt issues. Some projects also focus on assisting people at court with their civil issues such as small claims. Many of these services are run by law centres or local advice agencies such as Citizens Advice Bureau, local charities, law centres or local authorities.

You can get more information about the new Making Advice Work (MAW) grant funding programme here or find out about currently funded projects in your area here.

Planning and co-ordination of advice services

We work in partnership with the advice sector and other partners to consider issues of supply of legal aid in specific areas of the country. We are currently working with the Scottish Government and COSLA to develop a planned approach to publicly funded information, advice and representation in Scotland. More information about the Board’s role in planning and co-ordination of advice services can be found here.