| Legal Aid Update |
| Fighting your corner: criminal legal aid funding cannot wait Solicitor shortages, funding cuts and vanishing justice: criminal legal aid is in a precarious state. In many areas of England and Wales there aren’t enough criminal duty solicitors to cover one day a week, leaving many individuals unable to access justice. Richard Miller, head of justice at the Law Society, explains the first steps we’d like to see from the government to offer the justice system the support it urgently needs. > What are the key proposals? > Tell us which proposals need immediate action | ||
| Housing legal aid: the way forward – we respond to the MoJ’s consultation The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is consulting on proposals to improve the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme, which provides emergency advice to anyone facing possession proceedings. Despite the positive plans to extend the scheme’s remit, we’re concerned that providers will not have enough resources to deliver the extra advice expected by the proposals. > What are the proposals and what do they mean for solicitors? | |||
| Exceptional case funding for families at inquests now non-means tested Bereaved families at inquests can apply for legal representation through exceptional case funding (ECF) without means testing following changes on 12 January 2022. The changes mean that: new and pending applications for ECF inquest funding no longer require means assessments no further contributions will be required for existing ECF inquest certificates legal help related to the ECF inquest application – and not already in place – will no longer require a means assessment There is no change to means testing for standalone legal help. However, the legal help waiver provision also remains in place. This allows for advice and assistance in the early stages of the inquest process. > Understand the changes with the government’s ECF guidance > Check out the lord chancellor’s guidance on determining financial eligibility for controlled work and family mediation | ||
| Help the public access emergency pro bono legal advice during a major incident – join our Legal Pro Bono Panel Legal practitioners who are SRA regulated can now join our centralised online platform that will help coordinate pro bono advice from solicitors in the event of a major incident, such as a terrorist attack or civic disaster. Sign up to the Legal Pro Bono Panel, which has been created in partnership with LawWorks. > Be ready to help by joining our panel of volunteer law firms | |||