0:04 AM, 2nd December 2024, About 5 hours ago
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Tenants will receive increased funding for legal aid for the first time in nearly 30 years.
The Ministry of Justice has announced a consultation on a £20 million investment in the legal aid sector, which the government claims will help tenants facing unfair eviction or the threat of homelessness access legal advice.
The Law Society welcomes the proposals but says more needs to be done to invest in the justice system.
The boost to legal aid funding will cover civil legal aid fees for immigration and housing cases and help tackle the court backlog.
Subject to consultation, the government plans to invest an additional £20 million into the legal aid sector every year. Once fully implemented, the government claims this will ensure vulnerable people facing unfair housing legal battles or at risk of losing their home have access to legal advice.
The government will consult on increasing legal aid fees for those working in the housing (housing and debt) and immigration (immigration and asylum) sectors, aiming to increase fees to a rate in the region of £65/£69 per hour (non-London/London), or provide a 10% uplift, whichever is higher.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood said: “Civil legal aid plays a crucial role in our justice system, providing legal support for vulnerable people thereby helping to ensure access to justice.
“This government is determined to improve the civil legal aid sector which was left neglected for years. This is an important step as we rebuild our justice system, ensuring it is fit for purpose for the society it serves and those who serve within it.”
The news comes after figures from the Ministry of Justice reveal a significant surge in possession orders. Mortgage possession orders have rocketed by 38%, from 2,923 to 4,038, compared to the same period in 2023.
Similarly, landlord possession orders have increased by 7%, from 17,987 to 19,254.
The Law society says that these statistics indicate that nearly 25,000 people could face eviction.
President of the Law Society, Richard Atkinson, welcomed the proposals but says the government must do more to invest in the court system.
He said: “The investment in housing legal aid, and the further investment we hope to see in the near future, is vital to enable often the most vulnerable in society to have the advice that they need to access justice, which is fundamental to the collective good of society.
“Underfunding our justice system denies us a vital public service. The government must now continue acting for the common good and invest across all areas of civil legal aid.
“This will ensure representation for families fighting eviction, tackling housing disrepair or a survivor of abuse seeking protection from a violent partner.”
“The ministry needs to restart the review of civil legal aid and provide a timetable for further investment, as well as steps to reduce the cost of delivering legal aid services, setting out a clear vision for putting this public service on a sustainable footing.”
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