Legal services

If you require employment-related advice, please contact your branch in the first instance – many problems can be resolved without the need for a referral to a lawyer.

If further advice is required, your branch will approach the region. If the region is unable to resolve the issues, they may refer your case to UNISON’s Legal Services department or the union’s external solicitors, Thompsons.

Time limits in the Employment Tribunal are very short and they are strictly applied, so you should not delay in seeking advice.

Please note that you must not instruct a solicitor or barrister direct, as UNISON is unable to reimburse any costs that you may incur. UNISON representation is provided on the understanding that UNISON or their nominated legal providers remain the only representatives. 

UNISON provides legal assistance where you have an accident/injury/disease, whether or not it is work related. This also includes assistance following an assault at work.

Your family members are also covered for any non-work-related accident or injury that arises/can be persued in the UK.

Time limits also apply in personal injury claims (generally three years from the date of the injury/illness), although this is longer than for employment law cases, so you should not delay in seeking advice.

UNISON also offers a free initial advice service for members and their families who have been affected by Clinical Negligence. 

To access personal injury and clinical negligence assistance, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857. 

Please note, work-related personal injury stress claims are dealt with differently. Members should not call UNISONdirect. UNISON has in place a Stress Claims Protocol that needs to be followed. 

Members need to contact their branches for assistance under this protocol. If it is appropriate to seek written legal advice, then a Stress Claims Form needs to be completed by the branch and member, and submitted to our lawyers.  

You may be entitled to legal advice if you are defending work-related criminal allegations. Members are also expected to plead not guilty, and UNISON’s lawyers must advise that a member's defence to the allegations has reasonable prospects. 

UNISON’s lawyers may then represent you up to and including any Magistrates or Crown Court trial, if you satisfy the above criteria, and our membership requirements. 

Our lawyers will obtain state funding where possible, and the funding of Legal Aid contributions thereafter is discretionary.

In exceptional circumstances, representation may be given to members appearing at an inquest arising out of a work-related death, such as where they may incriminate themselves in those proceedings, they are named an interested person, and their employer has refused legal assistance. Please see here for further information.

Assistance is also available to police staff who are involved in a post incident procedure.

To access emergency criminal law advice, outside of UNISONdirect hours, you can contact UNISON’s 24-hour criminal helpline on 0800 587 7530. 

You may be entitled to up to 30 minutes free, initial and over the phone, legal advice on any matter not related to your employment, which is not covered by any other parts of the UNISON legal scheme. The advice must be specific to you as a member and does not include advice for family members. The advice is limited to one-off initial advice only on an issue, and does not include legal representation or cover complex matters. 

You are entitled to access a free standard wills service. This is an online wills service. In addition, you and your family are entitled to reduced rates for more complex wills, other probate services and conveyancing matters.

For more detailed information about the services UNISON offers, as well as the best ways to access legal support, please read our legal help guide, in the resources section below.