A poll of 2,000 people by the Law Society this month found 84% of Conservative, 95% of Labour and 97% of Liberal Democrat voters in agreement that legal aid is a good thing. It also revealed the public believe legal aid is more widely available than it actually is.
More than half (53%) thought legal aid is available for domestic violence cases, while 73% said it should be available—in fact it is available only if there is an injunction.
Some 44% thought legal aid is available for employment cases and 68% said it should be available, while in reality it is only available for discrimination cases. 42% thought it is available for rented housing issues and 66% said it should be available—in fact it is available only if living conditions are a threat to health or at repossession stage.
The research was conducted in the first week of January, the day after the Ministry of Justice announced the long-awaited civil legal aid review, which is due to publish its final report in 2024.
Law Society president Lubna Shuja said: ‘Services are collapsing now. We cannot afford to wait until 2024 for investment.’
Last week, the Law Society sent a letter before action to the Lord Chancellor, Dominic Raab, urging him to increase defence solicitors’ legal aid pay rates or face a judicial review.
Shuja said: ‘What is so frustrating is that a rational policy path was identified in Lord Bellamy’s comprehensive review and largely accepted, including 15% for barristers, but the key recommendation affecting solicitors—who were viewed as being in the most “parlous state”—was rejected.’
While Raab has claimed solicitors are being given a 15% rise, Law Society analysis of the offer found the increase actually amounted to 9%.
