Changes to the structure of Legal Aid

Published: 3rd January 2012 at 11:21:17

There are serious changes to the structure of legal aid in the pipe line. As the object is to save money by the Government it is inevitable that legal aid will be cut back. This will be achieved 2 ways.

1.    Eligibility will be reduced by making the financial test more onerous. This is particularly the case for the self employed and for cases in the Crown Court where even the equity ('profit') in your home is taken into account.

2.    Certain classes of work will be excluded from legal aid or made more difficult to access e.g. family financial claims.

In addition, the route to legal aid in family matters will require a first visit to a Mediation Service to see if Mediation is going to work for you, an 'Assessment Meeting'.

We wholeheartedly support Mediation for the majority of  family cases and urge you to co-operate with the new system which will be in place from April 6^th 2011.

Read what the Judges of England think of these proposals, their knowledge of the problems and issues you face may surprise you!  http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/Resources/JCO/Documents/Consultations/response-judges-council-legal-aid-reform-consultation.pdf