A plain language guide to the law — England & Wales
Know where you stand, and what to do next.
Free guides to consumer rights, tenancy agreements, employment law, limitation periods and court claims — arranged in the order a matter actually unfolds, with every rule cited.
General information, not legal advice. Law differs by country — every page states where it applies and when it was last reviewed.
Layer 02 of 05
Statutes and codes
Laws passed by the legislature, such as a civil code, a labour code or a criminal code. Most everyday questions start here.
Where you meet it: Renting a home, signing a job contract, buying or selling.
Typical order. Names and ranking vary by country.
Guides by stage
Seven stages, the same on every topic.
Pick where you are in the matter — whether you are checking your statutory rights, gathering evidence, sending a formal notice, filing a court claim, or enforcing a judgment. Each stage covers employment law, housing, consumer rights, debt and more.
Stage 01
Name the problem in legal terms and find the area of law that covers it.
Open the Understand pageWhat kind of legal issue is this?
Find the area of law and which stage of law covers it, before anything else.
Facts to write down on day one
Dates, amounts, names, what was said — capture it now while memory is fresh.
Issue finder
Answer a few plain questions to reach the right area and topic.
Areas of law
A library that grows page by page.
Each area opens into topics, and each topic follows the seven stages. New pages slot in without changing the map.
Common topics: tenancy agreements and deposits · redundancy pay and unfair dismissal · consumer rights for faulty goods · limitation periods · county court money claims · precedent and case law · power of attorney
Tools
Work it out here, next to the rule that explains it.
Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Deadline calculator
Last day
Wednesday, 2 December 2026
Counts from the day after the start date. Public holidays are not included. Check the counting rule that applies to you.
Late-payment interest
Interest
19.73
Total now owed
1,019.73
Simple interest on a 365-day year. The rate you may charge is set by your contract or by law.
Charts
See the shape of it before you read the detail.
Mediation, arbitration, ombudsman or court — compare dispute resolution routes side by side. See how the court ladder runs from the small claims track up to the Supreme Court.
Four ways to settle a dispute
| Route | Cost | Time | Formality | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negotiation | Low | Low | Low | You and the other side |
| Mediation | Medium | Medium | Medium | You both, helped by a neutral mediator |
| Arbitration | Medium | Medium | High | An arbitrator you both chose |
| Court | High | High | High | A judge |
Typical pattern, for orientation only. Real cost and time depend on the country and the case.
The court ladder
Common three-level structure. Court names and extra levels differ by country.
How pages work
Every page shows its sources.
One template for every topic — whether it covers limitation periods, redundancy pay, consumer rights regulations, or a tenancy agreement clause. Every statement cites the statute, regulation or judgment it comes from.
- Where it applies. England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland — stated at the top. Law differs by jurisdiction.
- Which rule. Every claim cites the statute, regulation or precedent it rests on — linked directly to legislation.gov.uk or BAILII.
- When it was checked. A "Law as of" date and a reviewer on every page. Pages older than 12 months show a warning.
- When to get a lawyer. Each guide lists the triggers — limitation deadline close, court papers received, discrimination claim — where general information stops being enough.
[Topic title, as a question]
1. Short answer
Two or three sentences in plain words.
2. The rule
What the law says, with the citation.
3. Steps and deadlines
What to do, in order, and by when.
4. Documents and tools
Checklist, template and calculator for this stage.
5. Sources and next stage
Links to the official text and to the page that follows.
Common questions