VLS Solicitors Limited

Defence representation for people arrested, charged, or facing prosecution, including police station, magistrates court, and Crown Court work.

Criminal legal aid covers the cost of a solicitor when you have been arrested, charged with a crime, or are facing prosecution. The duty solicitor scheme means anyone arrested can ask for a free solicitor at the police station regardless of income, with no means test. Once a case reaches court, eligibility for representation is means and merits tested.

Family law support where there is documented domestic abuse, plus care proceedings, child protection, forced marriage, and international child abduction.

Family legal aid covers domestic abuse, child protection (including care proceedings), forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and international child abduction. Routine divorce and child arrangements are generally not covered by legal aid since the 2013 LASPO reforms unless there is evidence of domestic abuse. Care proceedings are non-means-tested for parents; other family legal aid is means and merits tested.

Legal support for people identified as potential victims of trafficking or modern slavery.

Modern Slavery legal aid covers people identified or being assessed as potential victims of trafficking or modern slavery, including referral through the National Referral Mechanism, related immigration matters, and damages claims arising from their exploitation. The contract was significantly expanded after the Modern Slavery Act 2015, with its own dedicated allocation. Specialist providers handle most cases.

Help with priority debts that put your home or essentials at risk.

Debt legal aid is restricted to priority debts where someone is at immediate risk of losing their home, essential utilities, or significant assets. It covers mortgage and rent arrears leading to possession proceedings, bailiff action on essential household goods, and bankruptcy proceedings against the family home. Routine consumer debt and credit-card arrears are not covered by legal aid; free advice for those is available through Citizens Advice and StepChange.

Possession proceedings, unlawful eviction, serious disrepair, and homelessness reviews.

Housing legal aid covers urgent threats to a person's home, including mortgage and rent possession proceedings, unlawful eviction, serious disrepair posing a health risk, and reviews of homelessness decisions where the local authority has refused to house someone. Defence against anti-social behaviour proceedings and disrepair counter-claims are also in scope. Funding is means and merits tested.

Specialist representation for people in prison on parole, sentence calculation, adjudications, and conditions.

Prison Law covers the legal needs of serving prisoners, including parole hearings, sentence calculation disputes, prison disciplinary adjudications, and challenges to treatment or conditions inside prison. Solicitors with this contract visit prisons regularly and know prison-specific procedure. It is a specialist add-on to the standard Crime contract; only around 10% of crime firms hold it, so finding a Prison Law specialist can be hard.

Disputes over adult social care, support packages, and care home funding.

Community Care legal aid covers disputes about the social care services a local authority provides to adults with disabilities, mental health needs, or other long-term care needs. Common issues include assessment refusals, inadequate care packages, care home funding decisions, and disputes about ongoing care responsibilities. Cases are usually challenged through judicial review.