Civil/crime news: eligibility for legal aid and universal credit
Ministry of Justice consultation on proposals to amend legal aid financial eligibility system to accommodate expansion of universal credit.
A consultation called ‘Legal aid financial eligibility and universal credit’ is now open and the deadline for responses is 11 May 2017.
The proposals seek to amend the legal aid financial eligibility system to accommodate the expansion of universal credit.
The intention behind the government’s proposals is to limit any additional burden on the legal aid budget rather than cutting costs.
Targeted approach
This would be done by having means testing arrangements that ensure the limited funds available are targeted at those clients most in need.
The consultation proposals also seek to ensure that clients contribute to the costs of their legal advice and representation where they are able to do so.
All providers and interested parties can join in the consultation process by using the link below. This also offers the opportunity to find out more about the proposals.