A new pot for legal aid
The UK government has announced a £16 million fund for families facing debt, housing or welfare issues to receive earlier access to free legal support. It comes amid fears about the state of legal aid provision in the UK.
The UK government has announced a £16 million fund for families facing debt, housing or welfare issues to receive earlier access to free legal support. It comes amid fears about the state of legal aid provision in the UK.
The Ministry of Justice and Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman KC MP launched the pot today. The money will be available between this month and March 2029 and is allocated for legal support to those facing eviction, problem debt, benefits disputes and family breakdown.
The hope is that it will allow 48 charities and legal advice providers such as Citizens’ Advice to expand their support early enough to prevent unnecessary court action, and alleviate pressures on the judiciary. It will be administered by the Access to Justice Foundation, whose CEO Clare Carter says:
“The organisations funded through this programme provide trusted support when people need it most. By investing in their long-term strength and resilience, we can help ensure more people access the legal support they need, while building a stronger understanding of what works to improve access to justice.”
The Access to Justice Foundation distributes money to support pro bono legal assistance.
The last few years have seen a decline in the availability of legal aid in the UK. According to a Justice Committee report published in July, both criminal and civil legal aid eligibility thresholds have not kept pace with the cost of living.
It found that frozen eligibility thresholds had had a serious impact on the provision of civil legal aid, with 76% of single parents with one primary school-aged child ineligible for aid but unable to afford private advice.
Meanwhile, it said the means-test threshold for criminal legal aid had not changed since 2009, while prices had risen by 64%.
There are fewer and fewer people entering the criminal duty solicitor profession, with the Committee finding only 7% of the profession are under the age of 35. The report deemed the criminal legal aid sector “financially unsustainable”.
The report concluded:
“Without urgent reform, legal aid will continue to decline as a practical route to justice. The government must address eligibility, remuneration, provider capacity, administration and scope together. A legal aid system that people cannot qualify for or access, and that providers cannot sustainably deliver, is no system at all.”
“The government’s priority must be to restore legal aid as an effective, sustainable and accessible service for those who need it most.”