Lockdown has led to increased requests for legal support

Enquiries for legal advice have tripled during coronavirus lockdown, say Govan Law Centre.

The charity has seen big increases in enquiries about employment law including the furlough scheme, redundancies, breach of contract and unfair dismissal.

Similar big increases from social and private tenants threatened with eviction and many enquiries for help with Universal Credit and Scottish Welfare Fund.

Govan Law Centre is helping people to access food banks and is supporting disabled people to keep their benefits. It is also seeing an increase in neighbour disputes - people obviously not getting on with neighbours now they are all day together.

Mike Dailly, Govan Law Centre solicitor advocate said: "The number of people who are contacting us for help has soared. We have trebled our enquiries. The lockdown is incredibly stressful for many people who are worried about about their jobs, homes, and debts piling up. It is leading to threatened redundancies, relationship breakdowns, domestic violence and neighbour disputes.

“We are seeing many people who previously considered themselves financially stable, some self-employed have gone from good earnings to zero income because of lockdown restrictions. We do have welcome social protections at the moment. But we fear an avalanche of cases when these stop.

“Even at the moment many employers and landlords are trying to get around the law. Our lockdown exit must support everyone including the most vulnerable, to help them get back on their feet too."