Finding a lawyer in the United Kingdom

The official directories, legal aid, the interpreter, and why you should keep a record of every attempt.

August 15, 2023

A specialist lawyer changes an asylum claim. Finding one is hard, and it takes a lot of phone calls.

Start with the official directories: find-legal-advice.justice.gov.uk, filtered on “immigration and asylum”, and the law centres map on lawcentres.org.uk.

Look for local organisations too: search your town's name with “asylum support” or “migrant support”. Many of them know which firms are still taking cases.

Care4Calais answers on WhatsApp on +44 7519 773268. Asylum Aid gives free one-off telephone advice on +44 2073 549264: Monday 14:00 to 16:30 and Thursday 10:00 to 12:30.

Ask around you as well — friends, family, the people you share accommodation with. That is often how someone finds a firm that answers.

Keep a record of every attempt: who you called, which day, and what you were told. If you cannot find a lawyer, that list is your proof that you tried, and it counts.

Legal aid usually means the lawyer is free for you. That lawyer works for you, not for the Home Office. Legal aid pays for the interpreter too: you do not have to bring one, and you do not have to ask a relative to translate.

Factual owner: InfoKit

Last reviewed: August 11, 2026