Further sources of information for service users

Equality Advisory Support Service

From 1 October 2012 the Commission's helpline was replaced by the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS).

Find out more about the Equality Advisory Support Service.

Contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS)

Opening hours:
09:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday
10:00 to 14:00 Saturday
closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays

Post: FREEPOST Equality Advisory Support Service FPN4431

Advicenow

An independent, not-for-profit website providing accurate, up-to-date information on rights and legal issues.

Advice UK

A UK network of advice-providing organisations. They do not give out advice themselves, but the website has a directory of advice-giving agencies.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice Bureaux provide free, confidential and independent advice in England and Wales. Advice is available face-to-face and by telephone. Most bureaux offer home visits and some also provide email advice. To receive advice, contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau, which you can find by visiting the website.

The Adviceguide website is the main public information service of Citizens Advice. It covers England, Scotland and Wales.
Website: www.adviceguide.org.uk

Citizens Advice Scotland

Citizens Advice Scotland is the umbrella organisation for bureaux in Scotland. They do not offer advice directly but can provide information on Scottish bureaux.

Community Legal Service (CLS)

The CLS can help you find legal advice and information from a range of sources, including Citizens Advice Bureaux, law centres, independent advice centres and high street solicitors across England and Wales. You can also find out more about legal aid and whether you might be entitled to financial help with your case. The CLS helpline can give you free advice about benefits, tax credits, debt, education, employment or
housing if you qualify for legal aid.

Gov.UK

Gov.UK is the UK government's digital service for people in England and Wales. It delivers information and practical advice about public services, bringing them all together in one place.

Government Equalities Office (GEO)

The GEO is the Government department responsible for equalities legislation and policy in the UK.

Law Centres Federation

The Law Centres Federation is the national co-ordinating organisation for a network of community-based law centres. Law centres provide free and independent specialist legal advice and representation to people who live or work in their catchment areas. The Federation does not itself provide legal advice, but can provide details of your nearest law centre.

The Law Society

The Law Society is the representative organisation for solicitors in England and Wales. Their website has an online directory of law firms and solicitors. You can also call their enquiry line for help in finding a solicitor. They do not provide legal advice.

They also have a Wales office:

Scottish Association of Law Centres (SALC)

SALC represents law centres across Scotland.

Advice on age discrimination

Age UK:
Age UK aims to improve later life for everyone by providing information and advice, campaigns, products, training and research.

ChildLine
ChildLine is the UK’s free, confidential helpline dedicated to children and young people. Advice can also be found on its website.

The Children's Legal Centre (CLC):
The CLC provides legal advice, information and representation for children and young people.

Children’s Rights Alliance England (CRAE):
CRAE provides free legal information and advice, raises awareness of children’s human rights, and undertakes research about children’s access to their rights.

Disability discrimination

Action on Hearing Loss - Formerly RNID
Action on Hearing Loss offers a range of services for Deaf and hard of hearing people and provides information and support on all aspects of deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus.

Disability Law Service (DLS):
The DLS is a national charity providing information and advice to disabled and Deaf people. It covers a wide range of topics including discrimination, consumer issues, education and employment.

  • Website: www.dls.org.uk
  • Telephone: 020 7791 9800
  • Minicom: 020 7791 9801

Disability Rights UK - formerly RADAR
Disability Rights UK is a national umbrella organisation with around 500 member groups. It campaigns for equal rights for disabled people and gives information and advice on disability issues.

Website: //disabilityrightsuk.org/
Telephone: 020 7250 8181
(this line open Mon-Fri, between 10.00 and 12.30pm and 1.30 and 4.00pm) This line is not an advice line.
Fax: 020 7250 0212
Minicom: 020 7250 4119
Email: radar@radar.org.uk

Mencap:
Mencap is the leading UK charity for people with a learning disability and their families. It provides a range of services including advice and information.

Mind:
Mind is the leading mental health charity for England and Wales. It provides information to help promote understanding of mental health and campaigns to promote and protect good mental health. It has an info-line and a legal services line, and also provides online advice.

Rethink:
Rethink helps over 48,000 people every year through its services, support groups and by providing information on mental health problems.

Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB):
The RNIB is the UK's leading charity offering information, support and advice to over two million people with sight loss.

SCOPE:
Scope is the leading UK disability charity for children and adults with cerebral palsy. It provides information, help, support and advice on disability issues.

Terrence Higgins Trust:
Terrence Higgins Trust is the leading and largest HIV and sexual health charity in the UK. It offers a range of services including advice and information for people affected by HIV.

Gender

Gingerbread:
Gingerbread is a national and local charity working for, and with, single parent families, to improve their lives. It lobbies and campaigns to raise awareness and provides advice and information for single parents.

Maternity Action:
Maternity Action works to end inequality and promote the health and well-being of all pregnant women, their partners and children from before conception through to the child's early years. It provides information sheets but cannot provide advice on individual cases.

Rights of Women (RoW):
RoW is a UK voluntary organisation working to attain justice and equality by informing, educating and empowering women on their legal rights. It provides free, confidential advice on a range of issues.

Women's Aid:
Women's Aid is the key national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children. It supports a network of over 500 domestic and sexual violence services across the UK and provides a free 24-hour helpline.

Gender Reassignment

Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES):
GIRES provides a wide range of information and training for Trans people, their families and professionals who care for them.

The Gender Trust:
The Gender Trust is the UK’s largest charity working to support transsexual, gender dysphoric and transgender people or those who are affected by gender identity issues. It has a helpline and provides training and information for employers and organisations.

Press for Change (PfC):
PfC is a political lobbying and educational organisation. It campaigns to achieve equality and human rights for all Trans people in the UK through legislation and social change. It provides legal advice, training and consultancy for employers and organisations as well as undertaking commissioned research.

Trans Youth Network
Run by and for young trans people aged 11–26, Trans Youth Network is a new UK-wide project to provide advocacy, support, signposting and training opportunities to young trans people and young people unsure of, questioning, and generally exploring their biological sex, gender or gender identity in any way at all.

Religion or belief

Inter Faith Network:
The Inter Faith Network for the UK promotes good relations between people of different faiths. It has a good list of contact details for faith groups and organisations across the UK.

Sexual orientation

The Albert Kennedy Trust:
The Albert Kennedy Trust provides information and support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans homeless young people.

Equality Network:
The Equality Network works for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality and human rights in Scotland. It provides information, and carries out campaigning and policy work.

Galop:
Galop works to prevent and challenge homophobic and transphobic hate crime in Greater London. It aims to reduce crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and campaigns for an improved criminal justice system.

The Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF):
The LGF is a North-West based charity working to support lesbian, gay and bisexual people. It provides advice and information, counselling, and support groups.

Queer Youth Network (QYN):
QYN is a national organisation providing advocacy, support, signposting and training opportunities to young lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

Stonewall:
Stonewall is the UK’s leading lesbian, gay and bisexual charity and carries out campaigning, lobbying and research work as well as providing a free information service for individuals, organisations and employers.

Stonewall Housing:
Stonewall Housing provides supported housing, advice and advocacy for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in London.

Last Updated: 09 Feb 2016