How to refer a client

We represent adults, young people and children. However, we have a small team and unfortunately we do not always have capacity to take on new clients.

For all cases, if you want free help, the legal aid rules say you must pass a financial test to show you do not have enough money to pay for advice.

To refer any client, please email referrals@atleu.org.uk

Please provide:

  • Your name and contact details (email and telephone)

  • General location of the person you wish to refer

  • Type of legal advice sought: immigration, housing or compensation

  • Brief details about the person and case you wish to refer (eg. what the client is seeking; information about the decision to be challenged; for compensation matters, a summary of the treatment suffered)

  • Key dates or important deadlines (eg. a hearing date; date of the decision to be challenged; for compensation matters, the last day of work and the date they escaped their traffickers)

Referrals are reviewed on a Thursday. If the referral is very urgent please call 0207 700 7311.

If you are a lawyer or support provider and would like advice for a survivor of trafficking or slavery who you are assisting please contact our advice line.

Referral criteria

Immigration and public law

We take cases for survivors of trafficking and slavery, across England and Wales, who:

  • Want to apply for any type of leave to remain in the UK*

  • Have a claim for asylum

  • Want to challenge a decision that they are not a victim of trafficking

  • Want to challenge a refusal of discretionary leave to remain as a victim of trafficking or modern slavery

We take cases at the initial stage and in the Tribunal (appeals) and in the Higher Courts (High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court).

* You will need a reasonable or conclusive grounds decision that you are a victim of trafficking or modern slavery to get free (legal aid) advice on leave to remain if you do not also have an asylum claim.

Compensation

A survivor of trafficking or modern slavery will not require a positive reasonable or conclusive grounds decision to access legal aid to bring a compensation claim.

We take the following cases for survivors of trafficking and slavery across England and Wales:

  • Claims for compensation against the trafficker: We bring civil claims against the trafficker in the High Court, County Court and Employment Tribunal. Legal aid is available for these cases. Unlike immigration cases, you do not need a reasonable or conclusive grounds decision that you are a victim of trafficking or modern slavery from the government to get legal aid.

  • Claims for compensation against the state: We bring human rights claims against the state in the High Court. Legal aid is available and you do not require a positive reasonable or conclusive grounds decision.

  • Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA): We make applications for compensation to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and represent survivors of trafficking to challenge CICA decisions. Legal aid may be available for these cases.

We take cases in the Employment Tribunal, the County Court and the High Court. We also take cases on Judicial Review and on appeal in the higher courts (the Employment Appeal Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court).

Housing and support

We take on cases for survivors of trafficking and slavery, across England and Wales, who:

  • Need accommodation while they are going through the process of identification as a victim of trafficking (this is called the National Referral Mechanism or NRM) or want to challenge a refusal of NRM accommodation or support

  • Need accommodation while they pursue a claim for asylum or other application for leave to remain

  • Need accommodation if their application for asylum or leave to remain has been refused

  • Have been granted leave to remain, are homeless and need to make an application for homelessness assistance to the local authority

  • Need help asking the local authority to accommodate them because they have a child who is at risk of harm due to destitution and/or homelessness

  • Have accommodation which is unsuitable for them

  • Are renting property and are facing eviction by their landlord

  • Need to challenge negative Reasonable or Conclusive grounds decisions.