Family law clients to be hit heavily by legal aid cuts
The proposed cuts to family law legal aid would remove public funding from more than 75% of family law clients, a survey by family lawyers’ association Resolution has shown.
The survey, completed by 267 family lawyers who do legal aid work, suggested the loss of funding would affect parents who risked losing contact with their children, increase the numbers left to survive on benefits, and put extra pressure on the courts.
Some 57% of respondents said at least half their cases involved a parent who risked losing contact with their children—affecting more than 4,000 children.
David Allison, chairman of Resolution, says the proposed cuts could have “devastating consequences”.
“The changes also risk increasing the nation’s benefits bill,” he says. “Many of our members say that the majority of their clients would not know what financial settlement they are entitled to, which could see them left dependent on the welfare state and benefits.”
Some 42% of respondents said appropriate legal advice meant that at least half their cases settled without going to court. All respondents agreed that cases take longer when one party is representing themselves.
Over 40% of current legal aid cases have been assessed as unsuitable for mediation.
