"Lawyers can be expensive - why not see if you can handle the problem yourself?"

Tesco legal store @ http://www.tescolegalstore.com

... benefits covered include "Disability Income Guarantee", "Working Families' Tax Credit", and "Pension Tax Credit"


Plus q? in yesterday's hansard ...

"David Taylor: What representations (has) the Department received from the legal profession on the legal products the Tesco supermarket chain plans to put on sale.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy): My Department has received no such representations, but it looks favourably on initiatives that offer people wider access to straightforward information about legal issues. My Department has been in discussion for some time with retailers about the role that they might play in that process.

David Taylor: Even experienced purchasers of professional services find it difficult to assess the quality and integrity of their lawyers. The Clementi review of the regulatory framework of legal services might sanction a supermarket approach to justice. If so, does my hon. Friend agree that, although a pile-it-high, sell-it-cheap ethos might appear to offer choice and value, in reality it could lead to costly mistakes? That would be not unlike the bogus consumerism promoted by both Front-Bench teams in education and health.

Mr. Lammy: Clearly, I cannot comment on David Clementi's report, which the Government asked him to produce but which will not be ready until later in the year. Of course I welcome the provision by Tesco, or any supermarket retailer of information to consumers. That information concerns matters such as tenancy agreements, the writing of wills-something that we all want-and, for people whose family circumstances have broken down, divorce. We should wait and see what David Clementi comes up with, but also recognise that the current arrangements-which mean that the Law Society and the Bar Council are the regulator, the disciplinary body and the representative trade union-are a privilege. At the turn of the 21st century, it is a privilege that we should look into."

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/cm040629/debtext/40629-04.htm#40629-04_sbhd3

Tesco's legal information for benefit purposes looks to be a book published in 2002....... that's gonna help people loads. Buy your out of date information from them.

Can't CPAG do a distribution deal with them or something to sell the handbook?

bet cpag can't do "triple club card points on selected legal store items"

Sounds like a double whammy: Get out of date advice and also contribute your hard-earned cash to Dame Shirley Porter's hardship fund because she is now down to her last few million after paying off Westminster Council.

This looks like an interesting thread I thought, so I followed the links... I have to say that I can't see what the fuss is about, and all LSC contractors out there should now quietly disband, or approach Tesco and enquire about becoming an authorised re-seller of their product?

Though the book might well proffer out of date advice, and the law will of course have changed, the author seems to have all that covered. Tesco have certainly made sure that only the best legal advice will be given to their 'customers', who are paying for it so it must be good!! Tesco says...

"About the author: For Steve Wiseman writing is a spare-time activity - in his day job he runs the Norwich and District Citizens Advice Bureau, visited by around 57,000 people a year. His other jobs have included freelance journalism, advice work, teaching, lecturing and a few years as a Whitehall civil servant".

The defence rests...

If the Claim Your Cash book was baked beans, Tesco would get done for selling out of date goods....