The bidding round for the new category of work closed in September with 55 bids received. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, known as the Hillsborough Law, which is yet to receive royal assent, guarantees non-means-tested legal aid for bereaved families at inquests where a public authority is an interested person.
Law Society president Brett Dixon said: ‘The Ministry of Justice projects that the number of legal aid inquest cases will skyrocket from 250 to 11,400 cases per year as the Hillsborough Law comes into effect.
‘This is a welcome first step, but to meet the projected demand these firms would have to shoulder the equivalent of an entire year’s current caseload each. The UK government still has the opportunity to ensure adequate capacity through strategic investment.’
