The Ministry of Justice has announced broad sweeping changes to the Civil Legal Aid scheme which many fear will have serious detrimental affects on access to justice for the least well off in society.

The reforms, which are part of the Government's public spending cuts, would change eligibility rules and will completely exclude some areas of legal advice from the scope of the Legal Aid scheme. Areas which the MoJ are proposing to remove from the scheme include matters involving Debt, Employment, Welfare Benefits, Housing, Education, and Immigration as the Governments hopes to save £350m per year.

The Changes to the eligibility conditions will see clients with savings having to make greater financial contributions toward their legal advice even if they are on income based benefits which, under the current rules, would entitle them to free help.

Furthermore, providers of legal aid will have their fees cut by 10% possibly as early as August 2011, which may result in a dramatic reduction in the numbers of providers operating the Legal Aid scheme, making it even harder for the most vulnerable to get local legal advice.

Justice For All Campaign

Justice For All is a coalition of advice providers including (Citizens Advice, AdviceUK and the Law Centres Federation), lawyers, politicians, trade unions and the general public who are campaigning to oppose the cuts and to ensure fair provision of legal advice based on need Justice for all is organising a Lobby of Parliament at 2.00pm on Wednesday January 12th 2011.

To find out more or to join the campaign visit Justice For All website.

Click here for the Legal Aid Reform Consultation Paper

Click here for the Law Society briefing document on the proposals