Save our legal aid
Because justice needs a level playing field
Legal aid is a public service – one as vital to our communities as education and healthcare. It should be there for everyone who needs it.
Because when legal aid works:
If we can’t afford a lawyer, we aren’t left alone to struggle uphill.
We get the support we need earlier – and resolve legal problems sooner.
We strengthen families and protect children. People in our communities receive better care and fairer treatment.
Legal aid is the key to helping more of us access justice.
Richard Atkinson, Law Society president
What we're asking for
We are stepping up efforts to save civil legal aid.
Despite some new investment in civil legal aid – funding remains well short of where it needs to be.
This is most obvious in areas such as family law, community care, inquests and mental health.
Our campaign focuses on securing urgent funding for legal aid that supports:
- families navigating separation or crisis
- people detained in hospital under mental health laws
- disabled adults and children whose access to care depends on specialist legal advice.
- bereaved families fighting for answers and accountability at inquests
Why we're campaigning
After decades of underfunding by our government, legal aid is not working. It’s too hard to access – and legal aid providers are folding nationwide.
Many of us don't qualify for legal aid, even people living below the poverty line - because the means test hasn't been updated since 2009.
What we can achieve
The sooner we act, the greater the benefits for our communities.
Benefits such as:
- ensuring no one must face a court hearing alone when they can’t afford a lawyer
- providing timely support to resolve legal problems before they escalate
- strengthening families and protecting children, leading to more stable communities
- ensuring fairer treatment and better access to care for all
Together, we can ensure legal aid serves the public as it was intended – a lifeline for everyone who needs it.
