Calls for free legal advice in NSW have spiked after months of severe weather left thousands seeking help as they clean up after floods and storms.

Legal Aid NSW, which provides free legal services, has had a 400 per cent increase in demand at their specialist Disaster Response Legal Service during the past year.

The service is for people impacted by natural disasters to help them navigate insurance claims, housing, tenancies and workers’ rights.

The dramatic spike in demand comes after catastrophic flooding hit the Northern Rivers earlier this year, with severe flooding devastating multiple towns across inland NSW throughout the spring months.

The specialist disaster service has provided legal services to 5400 people since March – a jump of more than 4400 on the previous year.

Senior Disaster Response and Insurance lawyer Ma’ata Solofoni says months of flooding, coming on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a backlog of insurance claims.

For some clients, consecutive disasters means the wait on insurance processing stems back years, including to the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfire crisis.

Legal Aid NSW CEO Monique Hitter says the floods, and other recent events including the pandemic, disproportionately impacted disadvantaged communities, further driving the demand for free advice.

“Equal access to legal advice is essential to ensure people understand their rights when faced with challenging circumstances like losing their home to flooding,” she said on Wednesday.

Despite the backlog in insurance claims the service’s solicitors have been providing immediate advice to flood victims at Recovery Assistance Points and are available to provide free advice through the Disaster Response Legal Assistance hotline on 1800 801 529.

In the past week, lawyers have been on the ground in flood-hit areas in the central west, delivering services in Eugowra, Forbes, Wagga Wagga and Gundagai.

Legal Aid teams are continuing to work in Lismore and other parts of the Northern Rivers, after record-breaking flooding in February and March killed 14 people and destroyed 4000 homes.

– AAP