More people who would have paid for legal services now need legal aid, UK survey shows
A recent report commissioned by the Access to Justice Foundation revealed that providing free legal advice and support could save the UK government £4.5 billion for every 500,000 people receiving it.
The report, made in partnership with the Bar Council of England and Wales, highlighted the economic benefits of early legal intervention. Specifically, the study suggested that, for every £1 spent on legal advice, the government would save £2.71.
“The report makes plain how a properly funded free legal advice sector would make a huge difference to the hundreds of thousands of people behind each case, those working in the system and the public purse in just one year alone,” said Sam Townend, chairman of the Bar Council, in the organization’s press release.
The study – which gathered data from 54 organizations that assisted over 129,000 people in 2023 – found a shift in the demographics of those seeking free legal advice, with an increasing number of people who would traditionally have paid for legal services now requiring assistance.
The current cost-of-living crisis and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the surge in demand for free legal services, the Bar Council’s press release said. Statistics showed that, on average, individuals seeking help were grappling with about five legal problems simultaneously.
“As economic challenges persist and the demand for free legal advice grows, the role of free legal advice has never been more critical,” said Clare Carter, chief executive of the Access to Justice Foundation, in the press release.
Value of free legal advice
The report focuses on the value of free legal advice across various sectors, including debt, health and social care, benefits and welfare, housing, immigration, employment rights, and domestic abuse.
“This report emphasises the challenges that multiple and intersecting legal issues present marginalised communities, and the role of advice providers in supporting the early resolution of legal issues in a cost-effective way,” Carter said in the press release.
Townend echoed Carter’s sentiment about the role of the free legal advice sector in helping to resolve legal problems earlier. “This will bear down on the record high court case backlog and will aid the wider justice system which is under huge strain and increasing pressure,” Townend added.
The report also shed light on the broader societal benefits of free legal advice. Many who received early legal intervention reported improved health, higher employment rates, and reduced reliance on benefits, said the press release.
However, some of the free legal advice providers surveyed said that they were struggling to meet the growing demand and were facing funding deficits.
Townend urged the UK government to “adopt a fresh approach to legal aid and recognise this is an area where it can spend to save.”
Carter described investing in the free legal advice sector as “both an ethical obligation and a wise financial decision.”
