The government is giving a huge increase in the rates paid for all housing and immigration legal aid work – including assistance to tenants facing eviction.
Providers will see overall spending increasing by 24% for housing work and 30% for immigration work.
The changes would mean for example that the fixed fee for Housing work will increase by 42% from £157 to £223 and the fixed fee for asylum legal help will increase by 35% from £413 to £559.
The Ministry for Justice says this represents a significant investment – the first since 1996 – resulting in an increase of £20m a year once fully implemented.
A statement from the MoJ says: “This extra funding means more people will get the support they need, when they need it – reducing stress and preventing delays in housing cases.
“At the same time, it will help speed up decision-making in immigration cases, ensuring a fairer, faster process for everyone involved. This is part of the Government’s Plan for Change to make the justice system more efficient, fair and accessible.”
Justice Minister, Sarah Sackman KC MP, says: “This vital investment marks a turning point for civil legal aid by boosting funding to build capacity in the sector, helping to enable individuals, regardless of background or income, to uphold their legal rights.
“As part of our Plan for Change we are ensuring that our legal aid providers can deliver vital support where it’s needed most.
“This investment will help to ensure effective access to justice for some of the most vulnerable in our society, supporting a more stable and sustainable legal aid sector – one that is fit for the future and attracts and retains the brightest and the best practitioners.”
A separate consultation on uplifting fees for criminal legal aid for solicitors by up to £92m concluded last week.
Activist group Generation Rent has taken to social media to shows its enthusiasm for the new Labour policy, stating on Instagram: “This means it will be easier for low income renters to get access to justice such as when they stand up to their landlords if they threaten their tenants with eviction.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today