1. Justice Denied- the sharp end
of the legal aid cuts

2. What is proposed
At least £350m to be cut from the £2.1b legal aid budget. The
bulk of the cuts will fall on civil legal aid
Family Legal Aid for divorce, custody and other private law family
to be cut entirely
211,000 of legal help cases which is 83% of the total
53,800 of family legal representation cases which is 48% of the
total
99% of all clinical negligence to go
These figures are a gross underestimate!

3. Social Welfare Law Legal Help Cuts
£m
Welfare Benefits 22 100%
Debt 16 75%
Employment 4 100%
Immigration 12 29%
Housing 7 31%
61

4. Retreat from the High Street
•Currently 2,400 civil legal aid firms which are likely to reduce to
under 900 from October 2012
•Currently 1697 criminal firms. This figure could go down to fewer
than 500
•The NfP sector will be hit by both legal aid and other government
cuts

5. NfP Legal aid contracts
current contracts after scope cuts
Welfare benefits 297 0
Debt 267 66
Housing 165 90
Employment 78 0
Immigration 62 45
Community Care 29 29
Family 16 0
Education 7 0
921 230
A total of 332 NfP legal aid providers is likely to be reduced to under
100 after the cuts in scope are introduced in 2012/13

6. Legal Advice Services
Based on Bureaux Stats July – Sep 2010

7. The Impact of Legal Advice Services
T For every £1 of legal aid expenditure on housing
advice, the state potentially saves £2.34.
a For every £1 of legal aid expenditure on debt advice, the
state potentially saves £2.98.
s For every £1 of legal aid expenditure on benefits advice,
the state potentially saves £8.80.
For every £1 of legal aid expenditure on employment
advice, the state potentially saves £7.13.

8. Impact of the Legal Aid Cuts
I 372,000 people lose their jobs, resulting in over £2 billion lost
income
i 1,100,000 people suffer a stress related illness serious enough to
seek medical help
s 250,000 relationships break down

9. Some useful references
CAB and LSRC: Towards a business case for legal aid
Paper to the Legal Services Research Centre’s eighth international
research conference- www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Pleasence P, Buck A, Balmer N, Williams K A Helping Hand: The
Impact of Debt advice on peoples lives, LSRC , 2007
http://www.lsrc.org.uk/publications/Impact.pdf
The Impact of Legal Counsel on Outcomes for Poor Tenants in New
York City’s Housing Court, Seron, Frankel & Ryzin 2001
Outcomes of a Longitudinal Study of Citizens Advice Service Clients in
Wales, Bangor University & Citizens Advice Cymru, March 2009

10. Are the Cuts a done deal?
•Justice Committee Report- likely next week
•Response to Consultation on the Government’s proposals-
due early May?
•Ministry of Justice Bill to include legal aid reforms- due in May
•The campaigns

11. The impact of the legal advice cuts