For more than 40 years, Islington Law Centre has been at the forefront in the battle for social justice for those living on the margins. At a time when huge cuts to civil legal aid have meant that it is increasingly difficult for people to ensure that their basic legal rights are protected, ILCs services are more important than ever.

We work with over 5,500 individuals a year. The majority of clients are women and two thirds are from black and minority ethnic communities. The reach of our work is far wider than these 5,500 individuals, as if we prevent homelessness or secure a disability benefit it is not just the individual whose life is transformed: every member of the family is positively affected.

Working, disabled, single mother, parent to two teenage girls.

The impact of our work is hard to quantify. In financial terms alone, the annual impact of our advice project in 2017 was at least £2,243,536. This benefits not only individual clients but their wider households (especially children) and the local economy. At the same time, our immigration services protect vulnerable families and individuals, including unaccompanied children. Our clients are later recognised by the courts to have been at serious risk of harm, or even death, if removed from the UK.

63 year old woman with kidney failure, accessing the Welfare Benefit Unit

All donations tonight will support these essential services and protect men, women and children from harm.