Thousands helped in past year by Govan Law Centre, annual report shows

Govan Law Centre handled 6,000 cases, took on 1,500 new clients and appeared in courts and tribunals 1,000 times, according to its newly published annual report for 2018-19.

It states that GLC prevented around 1,500 households from being made homeless, dealt with £5m of housing debt and helped 400 rough sleepers secure accommodation. It also advised on £2m of personal debt and secured almost £1m of social security benefits for clients.

Its innovative rights hubs provided services to over 2,000 people with mental health problems and complex needs, and the centre also served over 1,000 minority ethnic clients, asylum seekers, refugees, EU migrant workers and Roma.

GLC also provided dedicated legal advice and support to over 2,000 women who were fleeing violence, single parents facing homelessness, in relationship breakdown and rough sleeping.

Its Education Law Unit directly advises Scottish ministers on how to improve the education of disabled children in Scotland, and has assisted with the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law.

Extending its reach, it has set up a virtual law centre to reach rural communities so they can access law centre services. This is being trialed with Argyll & Bute Council and other Argyll & Bute partners.

According to the report, GLC turns every £1 of Glasgow City Council funding into £5.17 "by leveraging in additional income, which is spent on improving the health and financial wellbeing of Glaswegians". It adds that GLC creates "additional value for Scotland generally, by our wider strategic public interest litigation, policy and law reform work; all of which helps improve the legal rights and wellbeing of many vulnerable citizens across Scotland".