Legal advice for Turkish nationals working in the UK is of 'generally poor' quality, Ankara's work and pensions attaché in London has told the Gazette.


Aysegul Yesildagar said many solicitors seem unaware that European Union (EU) arrangements, such as the Ankara Agreement, grant Turkish people working and studying in Britain and other member states more rights than other non-EU nationals.



She said: 'There is not much awareness about the rights of Turkish workers... the quality of advice is generally poor. If solicitors don't know about the Ankara Agreement [or follow European case law], they will interpret everything on a national basis.'



Yesildagar said she had received complaints about legal advice on visa restrictions and access to benefits, including one case in which a Turkish woman was wrongly advised she could be jailed for claiming benefits. She urged people with concerns to contact her or the Turkish-British Legal Society.



Simon Cox, an immigration barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, said: 'The law is very complicated... there are solicitors giving out clear, adamant advice about how this or that is impossible or unlawful when that advice should be more nuanced.'



He also said access to good legal advice was 'very patchy' and difficult to get at all outside London because of changes in legal aid funding imposed by the Legal Services Commission (LSC).



A LSC spokeswoman said there were enough asylum and immigration advisers to meet demand, and high quality was ensured through the Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme.



Law Society President Andrew Holroyd said the Turkish community required specialist solicitors in such a complex area of law.



Anita Rice