Information on Advice & Legal and Advocacy Services
This page focuses upon: Advice & Legal services and Advocacy services
The information on this page was last checked on: 12th November 2025
We do not take any responsibility for the information on external links.
If you notice any mistakes or know of any organisations/information that may be relevant to the chapter please do get in contact via email info@mertoncil.org.uk
Information that can be found on this page:
Click the name of the organisation to go directly to their website
Advice Quality Standard (AQS) accredited
Age UK Merton - AQS
Elmwood Centre, 277 London Rd, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 3NT
Telephone: 020 8648 5792 | 9:30am – 1:00pm, Monday to Friday
Email: info@ageukmerton.org.uk
Free advice to people aged 50+ about benefits and money, housing options, care, support and more.
Citizens Advice Bureau - AQS
Mitcham Morden
326 London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3ND 7 Crown Parade, Crown Lane, Morden, SM4 5DA
Telephone: 0808 278 7831 | Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm
Wimbledon Guild - AQS
Guild House, 30/32 Worple Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 4EF
Telephone: 020 8946 0735 | Appointments take place between 9.30am – 1.30pm on Mondays.
Email: info@wimbledonguild.co.uk
Wimbledon Guild work with Citizens Advice who offer free advice about welfare benefits, debt, housing and employment.
South London Refugee Association – AQS
The Woodlawns Centre, 16 Leigham Court Road, London, SW16 2PJ
Telephone: 0203 490 3443
Email: info@slr-a.org.uk
SLRA provides immigration advice.
Refugee and Migrant Network Sutton - AQS
Granfers Community Centre, 73-79 Oakhill Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 3AA
Telephone: 07725 549411
Email: office@rmns.org.uk
Information & advice on immigration, housing, benefits, school enrolment & GP registration.
Law Centres – Law Society Lexcel accredited
Provide free or low-cost expert advice to help local people understand and uphold their legal rights.
Benefits
- Appeals at the First-tier Tribunal for work capability or right to reside issues – Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Employment Support Allowance only.
- Appeals at the Upper Tribunal if you disagree with a First-tier Tribunal result and have followed the initial steps to request permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal – all benefits.
Money
- Rent arrears
- Utility debts (eg gas, electricity and water)
- Council Tax arrears
- Unsecured loans (eg catalogues, credit cards, payday loans)
- Long-term options for your debt problems
- Problems affording your essential bills
- Working with you to maximise your income
- Switching and saving so you know how to get the best deals on essentials
Housing
- Emergency advice and representation at court for housing possession cases
- Eviction and possession proceedings (from your rented home), including notices served by your landlord
- Homelessness
- Succession for tenants when the person you live with has died
- Unlawful eviction
- Rented home in such poor condition that it’s affecting your health (disrepair)
- If your landlord has applied to County Court for an injunction against you, for example because of anti-social behaviour
- Getting rent deposits back
- Renter’s problems with estate agents
Employment
- Unfair dismissal
- Unpaid wages
- Discrimination
- Holiday pay
- Notice or redundancy pay
- Breach of contract
- Grievances
- Settlement agreements
- Appeals
Immigration
- EU settled status applications for complex issues or vulnerable people
- Asylum applications and appeals (including for people in prison)
- Human rights applications on private and family grounds
- Unaccompanied children
- Victims of trafficking
- Victims of domestic violence
- Deportation proceedings
- Appeals to Immigration Tribunal and higher courts
- Some judicial reviews
- Visa for spouse, fiancée or partner
- Settlement Applications on basis of long residency
- Indefinite Leave to Remain applications
Springfield Advice and Law Centre
Newton Building 7, Springfield University Hospital, 61 Glenburnie Rd, London SW17 7DJ
Telephone: 0208 767 6884
Email: info@springfieldlawcentre.org.uk
Advice on housing, community care, welfare benefits, debt and health.
Non-accredited:
The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, SE11 5RR
Telephone: 020 7791 9800
Email: advice@dls.org.uk
DLS provide free telephone and email advice to Disabled people, their carers and families giving access to a qualified solicitor specialising in a particular area of law. Please see their list of services below.
- Community Care
- Employment
- Housing
- Welfare Benefits
- MS Legal Advice Line
- MS Welfare Benefits Advice
- Legal Aid Service
Merton Welfare Benefits Service
London Borough of Merton, Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX
Telephone: 0208 545 4178
Email: welfarebenefitsteam@merton.gov.uk
Advice on welfare benefit related issues for Merton residents. They cannot attend health assessments or tribunals.
South London Tamil Welfare Group
36 High Street, Colliers Wood, London SW19 2AB
Telephone: 020 8542 3285
Email : admin@sltwg.org.uk
SLTWG provide support to Tamil refugees and other community members by providing Advice and Services relating to their Immigration, Welfare benefits, housing, education, health , domestic violence, family learning , employment and training needs.
Health
Patient Advice and Liaison Service – Epsom & St Helier
St. Helier Hospital, 020 8296 2508, Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm.
Epsom Hospital, 020 8296 2508, Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm.
Email: est-tr.PALS@nhs.net
Available to provide patients, families and carers with confidential, on-the-spot help and advice.
Walk-in service, St George’s Hospital, Ground Floor, Grosvenor Wing, Tooting, London, SW17 0QT
Telephone: 0208 725 2453
Monday to Wednesday 10am – 4pm.
Thursday to Friday 10am – 2pm.
Email: pals@stgeorges.nhs.uk
Advice on NHS related issues and complaints
Other
Siobhain McDonagh MP – Advice Surgery
London Borough of Merton, Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX
Weekly Friday advice surgery at the Civic Centre. To book an appoint please call her Parliamentary Office on 020 7219 4678.
‘Advocacy’ is speaking or acting on behalf of people, to help them express their wishes and secure the services they need and the rights that they are entitled to.
Email: wandradvocacy@rethink.org
Telephone: 0300 7900 559
Advocacy support for people with Mental Health Issues
Endeavour House, 2 Cambridge Road, Kingston upon Thames KT1 3JU
Tel: 020 8549 1028
Provides independent advocacy support at no direct cost to those individuals who have a learning disability, mental health issue or other vulnerabilities.
Association for the Polish Family
New Horizon Centre, S Lodge Ave, Mitcham CR4 1LT
Telephone: 02036498260
Email: info@polishfamily.org.uk
Advocacy and Domestic violence support for the Polish community in Merton
40 Mill Green Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 4HY
Telephone: 020 8687 1384
Email: info@jigsaw4u.org.uk
Providing children’s advocates to help Merton’s children and young people in care and leaving care to get their views across and be listened to.
Telephone: 0300 303 1555
Advocacy support for carers of Disabled adults
Voiceability – Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy
Telephone: 0300 303 1660
Email: helpline@voiceability.org
If you have been assessed as ‘lacking capacity’ to make specific decisions you may be able to get an advocate.