About the Advice Quality Standard

We are fiercely proud of the AQS and the role it plays in improving access to social justice.

The AQS is currently held by over 600 local advice services across England and Wales. Each provides social welfare legal advice and has met the rigorous standards set out by the AQS. These services range from national helplines to local services supporting their communities.

Note that advice-giving organisations in Scotland have the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers.

What do we mean by ‘quality of advice’?

Quality of advice is made up of various elements which are all necessary to ensure a client gets the support they need. These elements are assessed by the AQS.

Holding the Standard shows that:

• the organisation is well governed and managed
• advice given is accurate and useful, and based on relevant and up to date legal reference materials
• staff are well-trained, and supervised effectively
• records of advice are kept, and cases are well-managed
• information about the advice service is clear and accurate, and services are accessible
• service users are made aware of their rights, and their information kept secure and confidential.

Who can hold the AQS?

The AQS is for any organisation providing independent advice to people and giving support to help them take action to improve their situation.  This advice may be the main activity or be part of a wider range of services.

AQS holders give social welfare legal advice. This covers one or more of the following:

• welfare benefits
• debt
• housing
• family
• education
• immigration
• consumer rights.

The advice must be free to the client. If there are fees for anything else, this must be fully transparent.

The AQS has been designed to be applicable across the range, size and shape of the advice sector. 

Services providing in-depth casework can also apply for Casework Accreditation.