Your rights and the law

• Consumer rights

  Consumer protection and rights for goods and services - returning faulty goods, consumer credit, credit and store cards, refunds

• Antisocial Behaviour Order (ASBO)

  What happens if you're given an Antisocial Behaviour Order (ASBO) for causing harm, harassment, alarm or distress - being barred from certain places and people, and punishment, fines and detention for breaking the order

• Check if you can get legal aid

  Find out if you can get legal aid, which can help pay for legal advice, family mediation or representation in court or at a tribunal if you can’t afford it

• Disability rights

  Find out about protection for disabled people from discrimination at work, in education or dealing with the police

• Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010

  You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do daily activities

• How to make a freedom of information (FOI) request

  How to make a request from public bodies and organisations under the Freedom of Information Act, how much it costs and how long it takes

• Discrimination: your rights

  It is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of their sex, religion, disability or certain other personal characteristics

• Using reasonable force against intruders

  The steps you can take to tackle an intruder or burglar in your own home - and what force you can use to defend yourself

• Get a police check on someone involved with a child

  Visit your local police station to check the background of someone involved with a child to see if they have a record of sexual offences.

• Knives: the laws on buying and carrying

  The laws on buying and carrying a knife depend on the type of knife, your age and your circumstances

• Police powers to stop and search: your rights

  The police have powers to stop and question you at any time - they can search you depending on the situation.

• Police powers of arrest: your rights

  The police's power of arrest and your rights - procedures, identification, reasonable force

• Being arrested: your rights

  The police have to follow strict rules if you're arrested, questioned or charged with a crime - you can get legal advice at a police station

• Being charged with a crime

  What happens when you are charged with a crime and told you have to go to court - bail, remand, custody

• Being stopped by the police while driving: your rights

  Your rights if you're stopped by the police while driving - breath tests, motoring offences, faults with your vehicle, seizing your vehicle

• Complain about a legal adviser

  Follow your legal adviser's complaints procedure or contact the Legal Ombudsman

• Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and special constables

  Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) and special constables - roles, powers and how they differ

• Biometric data records

  Find out whether your biometric data is likely to be on a police database - fingerprints, DNA profile, kept after arrest, crime, conviction

• Citizens Advice consumer service

  Get advice on consumer issues, your energy supply and postal service - numbers, enquiry forms, how to complain

• Civil Legal Advice (CLA)

  Get free and confidential legal advice in England and Wales if you're eligible for legal aid - telephone, minicom, email, opening hours, ask for a call back

• Complain about a financial service or product

  Financial services or products - how to complain, ombudsman schemes including The Financial Services Ombudsman

• Complain about a limited company

  You can complain to the Insolvency Service, Companies House or the Serious Fraud Office if you suspect a limited company of fraud or serious misconduct

• Data protection

  The Data Protection Act (DPA) controls how personal information can be used and your rights to ask for information about yourself

• Delete a historic conviction

  Apply to the Home Office to get a historical conviction, caution, warning or reprimand for consensual gay sex deleted from the record

• Find a legal adviser

  Find a legal adviser or solicitor near you - search by name, postcode, town, area of law

• Get a copy of your police records

  Ask your local police to give you a copy of the information they hold about you - CRB check, DBS check, proof of identity

• Help if you're arrested abroad

  Find out what the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can do to help if you or someone you know is arrested abroad.

• Police and crime commissioners

  Contact your police and crime commissioner (PCC) to make a suggestion or a complaint on how your local area is policed - become a PCC election candidate, complain about your PCC

• Police cautions, warnings and penalty notices

  The police or Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) can give you a caution (warning) or a penalty notice if you commit a minor crime

• Protests and marches: letting the police know

  Organising a march, rally or demonstration - when you do and don't have to contact the police before the event

• Request CCTV footage of yourself

  You have the right to see CCTV footage of yourself under the Data Protection Act - you can be charged up to £10 for a copy

• Stopping industrial action: citizens' rights

  You have the right to stop industrial action if it's unlawful and you're not someone representing a company

Additional detailed guidance from government departments

• Gun and weapon controls in Northern Ireland

  Administration of firearm licensing and authorisation for prohibited weapons in Northern Ireland.

• Policing and crime prevention

  Covering powers of entry, drug-testing, firearms licensing, arrest and detention, technology and equipment, extradition and police pay and pensions.