Charities and organisations that offer legal aid are set to receive an addition £1 million from the government this financial year. This takes the amount awarded for legal aid funding to £4 million, up from £3 million in previous years.
The grants are used to enable eligible individuals to access legal advice without having to pay legal fees, as well as to fund services to help people through the court process.
For those who choose to represent themselves in family and civil matters, the grants will be used to help to resolve the issue at an earlier stage through specialist advice.
The additional funding follows the government’s proposals for two million more people to gain access to legal aid through a revised means test. Under the proposed changes, both income and capital thresholds will be raised, while disputed assets will not count towards an applicant’s threshold, benefitting victims of domestic abuse.
Author
Gill Laing is a qualified Legal Researcher & Analyst with niche specialisms in Law, Tax, Human Resources, Immigration & Employment Law.
Gill is a Multiple Business Owner and the Managing Director of Prof Services - a Marketing Agency for the Professional Services Sector.
