Press Release
Veterans Offered New Gateway to Legal Rights
5 October 2004
The Legal Services Commission today launches a new leaflet containing vital information for veterans, including rights to pensions, healthcare and housing assistance. It is the first time this information has been available from a single source.
The leaflet, Veterans – Rights for former servicemen and women and their families, is part of the new Community Legal Service Direct scheme, for which the Legal Services Commission is responsible.
Research indicates that veterans and their families make up 27% of the UK population. They are spread throughout the country and delivering them information on their entitlements is a challenging task. The launch of this leaflet will go a long way to addressing this.
Speaking at the launch, Clare Dodgson, Chief Executive of the Legal Services Commission said: “This is the first time that Community Legal Service Direct has produced a single source of information specifically tailored for veterans’ needs. It aims to make veterans aware of their rights and entitlements. I am sure veterans will find the leaflet to be very useful, and it will make the transition from military to civilian life easier.”
David Lammy MP, Minister for Legal Aid and Ivor Caplin MP, Minister for Veterans will also be speaking at the launch.
Commenting on the leaflet, David Lammy MP said: “I see this leaflet as being a gateway to the wide range of information and legal help available to veterans through the Community Legal Service and Community Legal Service Direct. A gateway to help resolve the clusters of problems that research shows people face. As the minister responsible for the Legal Services Commission I am so proud of Community Legal Service Direct, because it makes help accessible to those who need it. It is through initiatives like Community Legal Service Direct, these gateways to help, that we will reach the people who are hardest to reach.”
Welcoming the leaflet, Ivor Caplin MP, said: “I am delighted to be here today to mark the launch of the Community Legal Service Direct leaflet on veterans’ issues. The project serves as an excellent example of collaboration between Government departments and veteran’s groups. Effective delivery of information to our veterans is a key requirement of the Veterans Initiative. This leaflet contains a significant amount of information of interest to veterans young and old and will enable us to explore a method of communication that we have not used before.”
The Legal Services Commission has worked in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and many ex-service organisations in producing this vital leaflet.
Copies of Veterans – Rights for former servicemen and women and their families are available from Community Legal Service Direct on 0845 345 4 345 or log onto www.clsdirect.org.uk. Leaflets on a variety of other topics, including debt, housing and welfare benefits are also available from Community Legal Service Direct.
Media information:
Richard Shand
Tel: 020 7759 0491
E-mail: richard.shand@legalservices.gov.uk
Notes to Editors
1. Veterans – Rights for former servicemen and women and their families is being launched at SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association) Forces Help, 19 Queen Elizabeth Street, London, SE1 2LP between 1.30pm and 2.30pm.
2. Community Legal Service Direct was launched on 14 July 2004 and is a free, easy-to-use service that helps people deal with their legal problems. It offers high-quality information and advice for everyone and help with civil legal cases for those who qualify for legal aid. Community Legal Service Direct includes a new national telephone advice line (0845 345 4 345) providing legal help on welfare benefits, debt and education problems for the whole of England and Wales.
3. The Legal Services Commission helps people obtain publicly-funded legal and advice services. Its work is particularly important in ensuring that the vulnerable and socially excluded have access to justice. It replaced the Legal Aid Board in 2000 and is an independent public body, sponsored by the Department for Constitutional Affairs. This financial year, it will spend around £2 billion on legal services, mainly through its two schemes in England and Wales: the Community Legal Service and the Criminal Defence Service.
5. The Community Legal Service is a national initiative, aiming to improve the public’s access to quality information, advice and legal services for their civil legal problems, including debt, housing, family and employment. Free legal advice, and in some cases, mediation or representation is available to people who do not have the financial means to pay for legal help. These services are delivered through more than 6,000 Quality Marked solicitors’ offices and advice agencies across England and Wales.
6. The launch of Veterans – Rights for former servicemen and women and their families takes place during SSAFA Forces Help Week. Supporters across the UK and as far away as Iraq, Canada, Nepal and Singapore will be holding a wide range of fundraising events to try and raise the fundraising target of £100,000.
Last updated: 28 December 2006