Legal service comparisons between England and Wales

Comparisons between consumer sentiment in England and Wales have been published identifying broadly positive views of the accessibility, trust and quality of legal services in the two countries. 

Legal Services Consumer Panel’s Tracker Survey is a report into the key similarities and differences between the procurement and experience of legal services in England and Wales. The Legal Services Consumer Panel was established under the Legal Services Act 2007 to provide independent advice to the Legal Services Board about the interests of consumers of legal services in England and Wales. The Panel investigates issues that affect consumers and uses this information to influence decisions about the regulation of legal services.

The latest survey has revealed 89% of legal services consumers in Wales and 85% in England were satisfied with the quality of advice they received.

But there are wider differences in in sentiment when it comes to accessibility and trust. 62% of Welsh consumers prefer to meet their lawyer face-to-face for initial consultations, compared to 54% in England. And meeting face-to-face boost consumer confidence with 84% of Welsh consumers saying an in person meeting would increase their trust in their lawyers, versus 76% in England.

Despite the focus on transparency and pricing, 21% of welsh consumers said they found it difficult to compare the cost of legal services, as opposed to only 11% in England.

Half of consumers in England (51%) knew where to take a complaint about their legal services, while 44% did in Wales; but 60% of consumers in Wales would complain to their service provider first whereas only 47% in England would do so.

Commenting on the survey Tom Hayhoe, Chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel, said:

“The Tracker Survey Welsh Briefing offers crucial perspectives on what consumers in Wales truly desire from their legal services. Regulators and the legal professionals they oversee must undertake consumer and market profiling to effectively understand and address the diverse needs of legal services consumers. Our Tracker Survey has consistently highlighted that consumers are not a monolith; they possess unique requirements that demand tailored services and solutions. Our latest research exemplifies this need for targeted insights. Together, let’s ensure that our legal services are responsive, adaptive, and ultimately serve all consumers effectively.”

The Consumer Panel’s remit is to conduct research on various modes of legal service delivery to empower providers and regulators to better understand and meet the diverse needs of consumers in an ever-changing market. They say the research provides insight for service providers and regulators to ‘grasp what drives and necessitates these preferences. Understanding consumer needs should guide legal regulation and shape the way legal professionals offer their services.’

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