The government will increase the amount of criminal legal aid by up to £92 million, the Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman KC (pictured) has announced.
The investment lays the groundwork for longer-term reform to the justice system to ensure swifter justice for victims, the government said, with more updates expected later this week.
“The investment will tackle years of neglect and build a stronger and more sustainable legal aid sector that works for those who serve within it – and those victims and defendants who depend on it,” the Ministry of Justice said in a statement.
Sackman added:
“Our legal aid system has been left neglected. This multimillion-pound investment is crucial to keeping the wheels of justice turning – it supports the professionals keeping the system running, the victims waiting for answers, and all those who need access justice.
“We know that justice delayed is justice denied. That is why we’re investing in the criminal justice system. Getting the legal aid sector back on a sustainable footing is vital to restoring the public’s confidence in our justice system.”
Once fully implemented, criminal legal aid solicitors will have received a 24% overall uplift in funding since the 2021 Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review (CLAIR).
The government has also pledged to increase housing and immigration legal aid fees by £18 million a year – the first major civil legal aid fee increase since 1996. A further £2 million for licensed housing and immigration work will be delivered “as soon as possible.”
The additional £20 million will support some of the most vulnerable people in society, including those at risk of losing their home and victims of modern slavery, the statement added. The investment will also help to reduce the asylum backlog and end the use of asylum hotels.
“Legal aid plays a crucial role in our justice system, supporting some of the most complex cases that go through our courts,” the Ministry of Justice said.
“Our Plan for Change is making the justice system fair, accessible and fit for purpose.”
The majority of the crime and civil changes will come into effect on 22 December. The government is set to publish its response to Part 1 of Sir Brian Leveson’s independent review in the coming weeks.
