Cecily Zamora
UNISON provides legal services for employment-related and non-work issues at no extra cost to members and their families. Members can access up to 30 minutes of free legal advice on any matter not directly related to their employment. This includes personal injury claims, clinical negligence, and employment issues. If you are a UNISON member, you can access free legal advice for various matters, including family law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cost | No extra cost to members and their family |
| Types of legal help | Employment-related, non-work issues, personal injury, clinical negligence, immigration issues, wills, conveyancing, probate, powers of attorney, criminal law |
| Time limit | 30 minutes of free legal advice for non-employment issues |
| Legal firm | Thompsons Solicitors |
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What You'll Learn
Personal injury claims
As a valued member of UNISON, whether working or retired, you can access expert legal advice and support from one of the UK's leading law firms, Thompsons Solicitors. This includes help with personal injury claims.
Thompsons Solicitors will support your injury claim all the way to trial if necessary, although most cases settle before reaching court. UNISON provides legal assistance whether your injury or accident is work-related or not. This includes assistance following an assault at work or an industrial disease. Your family members are also covered.
If you have suffered injury from COVID-19 due to your work, or if you have lost a family member who was a UNISON member to COVID-19 due to their work, you can seek personal injury advice. You can also receive support for non-work-related accidents or injuries suffered by you or your family.
UNISON members can access up to 30 minutes of free telephone legal advice for various legal matters (excluding employment law). If you need to speak to someone or are looking for initial advice, you can call the UNISON legal service on 0800 0 857 857.
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Clinical negligence
UNISON provides legal services for employment-related and non-work issues at no extra cost to members and their families. This includes a personal injury service that covers any accident that happens outside or in the workplace, including assaults at work, industrial disease claims, road traffic accidents, and accidents on holiday.
UNISON also provides a free screening service to assess potential legal claims for members and their family members affected by clinical negligence. This service offers free legal advice on any non-employment issue from UNISON lawyers, entitling members to a 30-minute telephone interview.
UNISON works in partnership with specialist personal injury lawyers, Thompsons Solicitors, to provide legal cover for members and their families. Thompsons Solicitors has been working with unions and fighting for workers' rights for over a century. They have consistently refused to act for employers or insurers, only ever representing the injured and mistreated.
UNISON's legal services give members access to independent specialist legal advice from lawyers who are experts in their field. This service is not only free, but it also ensures that members receive 100% of any compensation awarded. Additionally, using the union's legal service increases the chances of a successful claim because the lawyers can collaborate with local and national union representatives.
UNISON provides cover for all healthcare employees, including nurses, health visitors, midwives (except those working outside the NHS), ambulance workers, professions allied to medicine, PTA and PTB staff, administrative and clerical workers, managers, and ancillary staff. In the rare event that an employer's cover fails to protect an employee, UNISON's cover is designed to fill that gap, subject to certain exemptions.
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Employment law advice
As a UNISON member, you can access a range of legal services for employment-related issues at no extra cost. UNISON provides the broadest range of legal help to union members in the UK.
If you require employment-related advice, it is recommended to first contact your branch, as many problems can be resolved without referring to a lawyer. If further advice is needed, your branch will approach the region. If the region cannot resolve the issue, your case may be referred to UNISON's Legal Services department or the union's external solicitors, Thompsons.
Thompsons Solicitors have worked with unions for over 100 years, fighting for workers' rights and refusing to act for employers or insurers. They provide specialist legal advice and support for injury claims, including those related to work. UNISON and Thompsons will support your injury claim and take it to trial if necessary, although most cases settle before reaching court.
You can access up to 30 minutes of free telephone legal advice on various matters, excluding employment law. Employment law advice can be accessed through your UNISON representative. Additionally, UNISON provides a 24-hour criminal law helpline for work-related criminal law advice.
It is important to note that time limits in the Employment Tribunal are strict and short, so seeking advice promptly is crucial.
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Conveyancing, probate and powers of attorney
UNISON members can access a range of legal services at no extra cost, including conveyancing, probate, and powers of attorney.
Conveyancing
UNISON members can access reduced rates for conveyancing matters. Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership. This could include buying or selling a house, transferring property titles, or dealing with property-related disputes.
Probate
UNISON members are entitled to a free standard will service. Additionally, reduced rates are offered for more complex wills and other probate services. Probate is the legal process of dealing with the property and possessions of someone who has died. This includes validating their will, paying off their debts, and distributing their assets according to their will or in accordance with the law if they did not have a will.
Powers of Attorney
UNISON members can also seek advice and services related to powers of attorney. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that gives someone else the right to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so in the future. There are two types of LPA:
- Health and Welfare LPA: This allows you to appoint an attorney to make decisions about your personal welfare, such as medical treatment, day-to-day care, and where you live.
- Property and Affairs LPA: This covers decisions about your financial affairs, including paying bills, collecting income and benefits, and selling your house. It's important to note that the attorney in this type of LPA cannot have been declared bankrupt.
It is crucial to set up an LPA while you are of sound mind, as it cannot be established once you have lost mental capacity. You can choose when your LPA takes effect and place restrictions or conditions on the powers granted to your attorney.
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Wills
UNISON provides legal services for employment-related and non-work issues at no extra cost to members and their families. Members are entitled to up to 30 minutes of free legal advice on any matter not related to their employment. This advice is specific to the member and does not extend to family members.
In addition, UNISON offers a free standard will service for members. A will is a legal document that details a person's wishes for their assets and property after their death. It is an important document for trust and estate planning and should be created by every person, regardless of status or wealth. The testator, or person making the will, must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind. While it is preferable for witnesses to have no interest in the estate, in some places, a potential beneficiary or heir can act as a witness. Most wills have two witnesses who are present when the will is being drafted and signed. The document does not need to be notarized to be legal, but some places have provisions for self-proving wills, which are signed by the testator and witnesses in front of a notary and include an affidavit portion to prove the identity and knowledge of the signing parties. UNISON also offers reduced rates for more complex wills, other probate services, and conveyancing matters.
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Frequently asked questions
Unison provides legal services for employment-related and non-work issues at no extra cost to members and their families.
Unison provides the broadest range of legal help to union members in the UK. This includes personal injury services, clinical negligence, employment law advice, and more.
You can call the Unison legal service on 0800 0 857 857 to discuss your situation with a dedicated trade union lawyer. You can also start a claim online.
Yes, Unison members can access free initial legal advice on non-work-related issues. This includes support for personal injury cases outside of work, a free wills service, and help with immigration issues.
Unison does not appear to provide specific services for family law. However, they offer a wide range of legal services that may still be relevant to your situation. It is best to contact them directly to discuss your specific needs.
