One of them being a young Latin American woman, married with a 1-year-old child. In April, she contacted the law centre about material support with bills and help for food due to severe financial difficulties.

Her husband recently set up a small business that folded with lockdown, leaving them with debts and unable to pay rent. Sadly this triggered a breakdown for her husband, and with a history of drinking, he had become aggressive. As a result, the women fearing for her safety considered fleeing the country with their child to a destination where Covid-19 was likely to be worse.

After learning of this, the centre advised on: immediate sources of food via Help Harrow, help in the event of domestic violence, including relocation to safe accommodation, and talked through ways to alleviate their financial problems.

They also realised her husband was an EU national eligible for the EU settlement scheme, where they could guide her through the application process for the entire family.

Follow up monitoring calls were made to check the family were safe. Harrow Law Centre persuaded the husband to seek help regarding his mental state, becoming possible via the Help Harrow website and Samaritans.

From all the collective advice and support received, the women expressed it lightened the anxiety and aggression, helping her understand all her options where her family could function better.