Consultation commences on potential £92 million criminal legal aid funding boost

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Today, the government officially launched a significant consultation on criminal legal aid, with the aim of addressing the legal aid crisis.

The consultation proposes increased funding for criminal legal aid, which would ensure a more stable legal aid sector and better access to justice for victims. Criminal legal aid solicitors in courts, police stations and prisons will potentially receive up to £92 million in additional funding to drive reform and provide the support the sector needs to sustain itself.

This £92 million would be in addition to the £24 million funding boost that was given to  police stations and youth court fees in November. The lack of crucial funding has driven many lawyers away from the legal aid system, creating legal aid deserts that have exacerbated existing backlogs. This funding injection aims to increase access to justice.

President of the Law Society Richard Atkinson commented that, as less lawyers take on legal aid work, “there is a real danger that people will not be able to get legal representation when charged with a crime, heightening the risk of miscarriages of justice”.

Justice minister Sarah Sackman shares the sentiment that the latest proposals mark a pivotal step to tangibly reform a sector “that has been neglected for too long”.

She said: “Access to justice is a cornerstone of our legal system, and this investment will ensure that the wheels of justice continue to move. As part of our Plan for Change, we’re putting legal aid on a sustainable footing now and for the future.”