Every person living in the UK receives equal treatment under the law, meaning the law is applied to everyone regardless of the place of birth or who they are.
The law is important to all aspects of daily life from housing to immigration to employment. You should make sure you are aware of the current laws, all which can be found here
Laws are divided and prosecuted either as criminal or civil. Criminal law relates to crimes which are usually investigated by the police or another local authority such as a council and a re punished by the courts. An example of criminal law is murder, racial crime and drugs. Civil law applies to disagreements between individuals or groups. An example of civil law is housing, debt and employment disputes such as wages.
More information on the rule of the land in the UK, including how to report crimes and your rights can be found here
If you or someone you know have been a victim of hate crime use the following link to report this True Vision – Stop Hate Crime. If you do not understand how to use this, you can go into any of the Libraries across the city and a member of staff will be able to help you.
General advice and guidance on Hate Crime can be found here.
To report any other crime, either against you or that you have seen contact West Midlands Police
In the UK there are centres that provide free legal advice, your nearest one can be found by visiting here
The UK is a welcoming multicultural society that celebrates many events in the year.
There are a number of public holidays throughout the year. Some apply across the entire UK and some specific to England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Banks, businesses, shops and offices are closed for the day but this does not include the emergency services.
They have no religious importance.
The dates can be found here
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have a national saint, called a patron saint. Each saint has a special day.
Only in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the Patron Saint Days an official holiday, although not all businesses and offices in Scotland will close.
Patron Saints days are no longer public holidays in England and Wales, however, they are still socially celebrated with parades and small festivals.
Coventry Welcomes Festival is a week-long festival celebrated within the framework of the national Refugee Week refugeeweek.org.uk, on or around the 20th of June of every year.
Over the years, Refugee Week has brought together people of all backgrounds to celebrate the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and the welcome offered to them by British communities.
Fraud is a serious crime of criminal deception that results in personal or financial gain.
A scam is a minor offence of ‘fraud’.
In the UK many people experience ‘cold calling’ – when a company rings their mobile phone – either a person or an automated machine – asking them about their recent accident. It is acceptable to hang up on these calls.
The consequences of being a victim of fraud include personal discomfort and loss of money. The criminal consequences include being arrested, prosecuted, fined and jailed.
How to prevent :
For documents that you do not need, which include personal information, shred them before throwing them into the bins.
Check your accounts weekly so you are aware of all transactions. Never give out your pin, your bank will never ask you for it.
Be careful of emails – do not respond to any that ask you for money and be careful of being ‘catfished’. Fraudulent emails can be very deceptive and look like they’re from the person or organisation they’re trying to impersonate. To be sure, never respond to any emails with your personal details if you’re uncertain.
If you are a victim of fraud – if it relates to money taken from your account then go to your back and file a report. The bank will then conduct an investigation – this can take weeks or months. If it relates to your identity then report this to the police.
If you are sending money back home use only recognised Western Union branches. DO NOT use unrecognised services.