How to Use This Site Safely
Last reviewed: May 2026
This site provides legal information — not legal advice
Everything on UK Law Reference is written to help you understand how the law works in general terms. It cannot tell you what the law means for your specific situation.
Used well, a legal reference site is a powerful tool. You can understand your rights before a difficult conversation with a landlord, prepare informed questions before seeing a solicitor, or learn what a court process involves before deciding whether to bring or defend a claim. But there are situations where relying on general information alone carries real risk.
Legal Information vs Legal Advice
What you get here (information)
- — What the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires landlords to repair
- — How a county court money claim works
- — What counts as unfair dismissal under the Employment Rights Act 1996
What you need a solicitor for (advice)
- — Whether your landlord has breached their specific obligations
- — Whether your claim is worth bringing and how to plead it
- — Whether your dismissal was unfair given your employment history
A solicitor applying knowledge to your facts is doing something categorically different from a website explaining how the law works. They are regulated, insured, and professionally accountable. We are not.
When to Consult a Solicitor
There is a deadline
Limitation periods, appeal deadlines, and statutory time limits are often absolute. Missing them can extinguish your rights entirely.
The stakes are significant
If the outcome involves your home, business, employment, substantial money, your children, or immigration status — the stakes justify professional advice.
Criminal proceedings are involved
If you are under investigation, have been charged, or are considering making a criminal complaint, take legal advice before doing anything.
A court has sent you documents
Court deadlines run from the date of service. Understand your obligations and options quickly.
You are being asked to sign a legal document
Contracts, settlement agreements, consent orders, and deeds carry legal consequences you need to understand before signing.
Your opponent is legally resourced
If you are in dispute with an employer, local authority, financial institution, or insurer, the power imbalance is real.
You are uncertain whether any of the above apply
That uncertainty itself is a reason to get a professional view.
How to Find a Solicitor
- Law Society Find a Solicitor
Searchable directory of all SRA-regulated solicitors in England and Wales, filterable by area of law and location.
- Resolution — Family Law Solicitors
Resolution members follow a code focused on reducing conflict. Useful for divorce, separation, and children disputes.
- Bar Council Find a Barrister
Directory of barristers who accept public access (direct access) instructions.
Free Legal Advice Routes
- Citizens Advice
Free, independent, and confidential advice on legal, financial, and other problems. Available in person, by phone, and online.
- Law Centres
Free legal advice and representation for people who cannot afford a solicitor. Strong on housing, immigration, employment, and social welfare.
- University Law Clinics
Free legal clinics staffed by law students under qualified supervision. LawWorks maintains a directory.
Legal Aid Eligibility
Legal aid remains available for most criminal defence, family cases involving domestic abuse or child protection, asylum and immigration, mental health tribunal cases, and some housing and social welfare matters. Eligibility depends on the type of case and financial means.
Check if you can get legal aid — GOV.UKA Note on Time Limits
Time limits in law are often absolute. If you miss a limitation period, your right to bring a claim may be permanently lost. If a time limit applies to your situation, act or seek advice immediately.
Common time limits (always verify for your circumstances):
- Personal injury — 3 years from injury
- Contract claims — 6 years from breach
- Employment tribunal — 3 months less one day from dismissal or discriminatory act
- Judicial review — promptly and within 3 months of the decision
- Civil appeals — typically 21 days from order
- Criminal conviction/sentence appeals — 28 days
Why Personalised Advice Matters
General legal information cannot account for the facts that matter most in any individual case. Legal rules frequently have exceptions, qualifications, and fact-sensitive applications that are not apparent from a general statement of the rule.
We publish information about law because understanding the law is valuable in itself. But we are consistently clear: understanding a legal rule is not the same as knowing what it means for you.
Red Flags — Stop Researching and Get Advice
Reading about a legal rule and not being certain whether it applies to you
Trying to work out whether a time limit has run or is about to run
Trying to identify from general information whether a document you have received is legally binding
Deciding whether to sign a settlement agreement, compromise agreement, or consent order
Representing yourself in ongoing court proceedings without professional support
Planning to take action that cannot easily be undone